Firsts
by April Rane
Summary: First fight, first kiss, and first time driving come together with other "firsts" to tell a love story. A series of one shots telling the tale of Renesmee and Jacob. Rated for SLV and other adult/mature content and themes. Canon, post BD.
1. Fight

_a/n Welcome to "Firsts," a love story told in one shots consisting of various first for Renesmee. This is the tale of their first fight as told from her eyes. Her very angry eyes… Enjoy!_

_If swearing offends you, don't read. Otherwise, trek on!_

_Disclaimer: If I were Stephanie Meyer, would I be here? Probably not…_

_**FIGHT**_

The living room was in shambles. There were books scattered, pillows in all places, even shiny glass shavings, all that was left of a vase after very powerful throw by a very powerful woman. A magazine rack had toppled onto its side, causing issues of _Cosmo _and _Car and Driver_ to tumble over the woven rug that had been a wedding present. A chair was knocked over, its cushion coming slightly loose.

In the middle of all this chaos, on the luxurious sofa from Ikea, sat a portrait of a beautiful rage. When her temper flared, so did her cheeks, and they were flooded at the moment with a beautiful pink. The tips of her delicate ears matched her cheeks, and her eyes, like molten dark chocolate, echoed the hard set of her jaw.

The sounds of metal abusing metal reached her ears, and she glared toward the kitchen, in the general direction of the attached garage. She heard a grunt of effort, following the sound of something large and metal falling on the ground.

He must have finally gotten the rusted engine out of the Shelby he was working on.

Let him work. She'd had about enough of him for the moment, as it was.

* * *

_One Hour Before_

Renesmee Cullen Black, aged eight years, sat calmly, sipping at her wine, on the couch in her living room. She was imposingly dressed—black skinny jeans, purple top, black Steve Madden shoes, and diamonds from Tiffany's glittering from her ears. Her makeup was flawless, and her hair had been poofed up slightly, making it more voluminous than usual. Her legs were crossed, and her delicate, elegant finger tapped against the rim of the glass a few slow times.

It was her eyes that gave her away. They were set slightly wider than usual, and they did not blink. They glared, like knives.

Across from her stood her opponent, Jacob Black—successful shop manager, husband, friend, and, currently, drunk and two hours late for dinner.

The dinner that she had spent two hours preparing, after receiving a text from him that he was having a horrible day. The dinner that she had ruined a pair of her favorite Baby Phat jeans making. The one she'd burned her fingers on. She'd received one text from him, over two hours before, when he was leaving for work.

_Fifteen minutes late. Sry._

Fifteen minutes wasn't bad. She would have forgiven fifteen minutes.

Fifteen minutes had rolled into thirty, into sixty, and she'd cracked open the wine and fixed herself a plate.

At an hour and a half, she put away dinner, changed clothes, and gone to the living room with the now almost-empty wine bottle.

A little after two hours, the familiar sound of Jacob's Camero pulling into the drive met her ears, and she gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and refilled her glass with the rest of the Chardonnay.

The car shut off, and there was a pause before the door opened. She heard him tumble onto the gravel, groan quietly, and get to his feet before shutting the car door and slowly staggering inside.

The bastard wasn't only late, he was drunk.

That was what had led up to this moment, and he stood before her, grungy from his day at work, smelling of aftershave, oil, Jack Daniels, and Jacob.

She didn't speak for a solid minute, waiting for him to explain himself. Instead, it was silent, and he stood with his arms crossed, looking quite intently, it seemed, at the Kaufman over her shoulder.

When he'd had ample time to apologize or explain himself or just to state where he had been, she decided his time was up, and she was on.

Her voice was soft, almost gentle, but for the underlying simmer of anger. "Do you know why I'm upset right now?" she asked.

His eyes didn't move from the Kaufman. "I'm late."

"By two hours." She sipped her wine. "I made you dinner."

"Sorry." Still, his eyes were elsewhere. Probably not at the Kaufman, but still, elsewhere.

"Sorry you missed the dinner I spent two hours preparing for you?" Her eyes glinted, further betraying her rage. "Or sorry about the fact that my new jeans are ruined? Or that I burned my fingers on the oven?"

Everything up to now could be expected, and was just man behavior. What he said next was his first real mistake in the altercation.

"It's not like they didn't heal thirty seconds later," he said, shrugging slightly.

She moved too fast for anyone's eyes but his, and it was lucky for him, because he had just enough time to dodge the crystal vase that she threw at his head.

One second, demure with an undercurrent of anger.

The next, a fiery angel of rage, standing feet spread and fuming, her hand still in the air after her throw.

"That's not the point!" she shrieked, and he winced. Finally, a reaction. "How about, 'Sorry I didn't call?'" She reached for the nearest thing to throw at him—a throw pillow.

He caught it, and made his second mistake—he threw it back.

The scream that ripped through her lips, and she threw it at him, harder than it should have been possible to throw a pillow.

"Tell me where you've been, then that's _so_ important," she sneered, throwing her hands out to her sides.

His eyes finally focused on her. He was angry. "I've been at a bar," he yelled back, throwing his hands out and mimicking her posture. "I went for a couple of drinks—"

"And stayed for a couple of hours?" She threw her head back and laughed maniacally, looking like some enraged goddess. "Too busy to call your wife and say, 'Hey, baby, I'm going to be a little late.' How hard is that?" She laughed again, more bitterly this time. "I'm so glad I rank so high on your priority list."

That hit a nerve. "You are the top of my priority list!" he bellowed. "Don't you even want to know what I was doing there?"

"Oh, I have a good sense of smell," she bit out. "I think I can tell."

"I went because I had a shitty day, and just wanted to unwind a little." He laughed, and it was a bitter, cynical sound she wasn't familiar with. "Marty comes in this morning and tells me he's going to quit in two weeks, so he can go back to school. Ingrid was sick and came in anyway, and I had to send her home because she was sneezing all over the invoices and grossing out the customers. So then I got to do her job _and_ mine, all while trying to get together some resumes to look at so I can hire someone. And on top of that, I had to fire Rudy after he fucked up his sixth oil change and cut a coolant hose, which I had to explain to the owner, _and_ I had to pay for. So now, I have to hire two guys. I had a rough day, and I went out for a few drinks, not knowing that my wife had such _huge_ dinner plans, because she didn't say anything to me."

Perhaps he thought this would forgive him.

Instead, she threw the empty wine bottle, which he ducked. "And it would have taken you _one minute_ to call me!" Frustrated, she kicked over the wooden magazine rack. "And I've told you ten times, if you're going to take your stupid magazines to work so I can actually have more than two magazines in there, then take them to work, or I'm throwing them away!" She proceeded to kick magazines everywhere, and _Car and Driver_ exploded all over the living room.

"You're fucking crazy!" he yelled. "They're fucking magazines!"

"Exactly!" She kicked again, and a few more magazines scattered. "They take up fucking room! And they're _your_ fucking magazines, so _you_ need to fucking take them!"

Jacob stared at her for a minute before turning and stalking out of the living room, toward the garage.

"Don't you walk away from me!" she screamed, reaching toward the bookshelf and grabbing a few Dean Koontz books to throw at him.

"I'm not talking to you until you cool down," he yelled over his shoulder, and the next sound was the slamming of the door to the garage.

She hissed at his retreating back, tempted to follow, but not willing to give him the satisfaction.

Instead, she sat back down, fuming.

* * *

It had been an hour since their first fight as a married couple. Their first _real_ fight, actually. They'd bickered and argued a little in the past, but nothing that lasted more than ten minutes.

It was also the first time he hadn't apologized for upsetting her.

She could positively murder him right now.

There was another loud clunk in the garage, but this one was different.

"Shit!" She could hear the pounding of his feet as he jumped up and down. "God damn it! Fuck!"

He was hurt.

Her anger forgotten, Renesmee shot out to the garage.

His hand was bleeding all over the floor, and she reached for a towel from a shelf and immediately began wrapping his hand.

"Caught it on a screw driver," he said, hissing in pain. "_Fuck_ that hurt."

She pressed the towel down tightly for a minute before pulling it away. She cradled his hand gently, blowing on the already scabbing skin. "Better?"

He nodded, and she could feel his eyes on her.

"I'm sorry you burned your hand," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry I didn't call."

Renesmee felt the tips of her ears turn red again, this time with remorse. "I'm sorry I threw a vase at your head."

"That's okay," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I hated that vase."

"I know you did." She smiled, looking up at him for the first time since their fight. "That's why I threw that one and not the one from Sam and Emily."

He laughed, but then sobered immediately. "I'm sorry I missed dinner."

She shrugged, looking away. "It's okay."

Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her up off her feet. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he held her, swaying back and forth slightly.

"Love you," he whispered against her hair. "I'm sorry."

"Me, too." She smiled. "Both." She pulled her head back slightly so she could see his face. "You want me to heat up some leftovers?"

"Later," he said, grinning. Letting go of her with one hand and holding on with the other, he closed up the hood of the Shelby, then turned to lay her on top. "We just had our first fight."

"Yeah?" She grinned up at him. "So, what?"

"So, we have to have make-up sex." Leaning down, he trailed his lips up her neck. "It's very important."

She moaned when his hands slid under her shirt and upward. "Very important," she agreed. "Very, very important."

_a/n Hope you enjoyed! Not sure what the next first will be yet—I have several ideas for them, just have to pick one. Feel free to volunteer ideas!_


	2. Runaway

_a/n Those of you that are also reading "Life and Death," please know I'm not abandoning it by any means. Right now, Mike's having breakfast while Tanya figures out what the fuck's going on._

_As for the rest of you—if you came last time, hi! If not, welcome—beware. My mind's a scary place._

_Please note that these will not go in chronological order and that they are one shots. There's not really a main plot line. I like that. It give my ADD more freedom to reign._

_Random question, but did anybody else cry like a bitch during "Glee" last week?_

_Again with the disclaimer: Not mine._

_**RUNAWAY**_

Renesmee sped down the back roads into town, her cheeks red and her hair a _real_ hot mess. Klutzy as ever, she'd managed to face plant into the lawn of the house she shared with her parents climbing out the window.

She'd winced a little at the sound of the car starting, but her parents didn't notice. They were… otherwise engaged with nighttime activities.

Nothing had stopped her, and she'd been smart enough to leave her phone at home. Leave it to her dad to find a way to track her through her Blackberry's GPS and come running through the streets, probably not even stopping to put on clothes.

He would, too, just to embarrass her.

Obviously, though, he didn't care to pay any attention to her, otherwise he'd have had his hands on the bumper of her Porsche, stopping her before she could leave.

Angrily, she swiped tears from her eyes. He made her so mad! Tonight had been the last straw. She'd stomped off to bed after he'd told her he couldn't trust her out by herself anymore.

The next hour was spent in her room, packing, listening to every word as her mother tried to reason with him. She'd finally calmed him down, but muttered under his breath when she suggested apologizing. That had set _her_ off, triggering a bunch of items being thrown, and his attention had been diverted from his raging daughter to his furious wife.

Wife apparently took priority and daughter got ignored.

Her father needed to get it through her head that she wasn't a normal five year old.

Normal five year olds didn't have the driving skills that she did, she thought, as she whipped around a corner, parking against the opposite curb in front of a brick apartment building.

She walked around to the back of the building and looked around. She heard nothing, no heartbeats beyond the walls of the building, saw no abnormalities. Clutching her bag tightly, she sprung onto the balcony of a third floor apartment and knocked on the sliding door.

It slid open a second later to reveal the only person who could help her.

"So…" Jacob looked her up and down. "How'd you manage to sneak out?"

"I didn't sneak out," she said, tossing her hair as she stepped past him into the living room. "I'm running away."

Jacob smiled as he closed the door. "Really."

"Yes, really." She dropped her bag on the end of the couch and plopped down. "I've had enough of my dad to suit five lifetimes, so I'm running away."

"I see," he replied, seating himself in the enormous chair across from her. "Where are you running?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Where are you running?" he repeated. "You've got to have somewhere to go, babe."

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't you 'babe' me, honey," she warned. "You're my best friend, so you're coming with me, and you've been more places, so you decide where we go."

"Ness, I can't run away," he said, looking at her with big, innocent eyes she knew well. "I've got a job."

"So get a new job," she said, throwing her hands up. "It can't be that hard."

"And what would our back story be?"

She blinked at him, then leaned back into the couch and rolled her eyes. "Oh, my God, you are so not fun. You're like a fun-sucker."

"Huh?"

"I heard it in a movie. You're a fun-sucker—you suck the fun out of everything." She pouted.

"Hey, one minute you're my best friend, then I'm just a fun-sucker?" He gasped overdramatically at her. "I'm hurt."

"Oh, shut up, you are not." She crossed her arms. "You're not taking me seriously."

"I am so," he said. "You're going to run away from home."

"I _am_ running away." She stuck her chin up. "I just don't know where."

"You could go stay with Sam and Emily," he suggested, raising his eyebrows. "Your dad couldn't follow you there. Not unless I say he."

"Oh, that's perfect!" She clapped her hands and bounced on the couch. "I can help cook and clean, especially since she just had another baby!" Then she stopped, cocked her head, and stared at him. "Are you really not coming?"

He shook his head. "Running away is something you do on your own," he said. "I did, anyway."

"You ran away from home?"

"A long time ago," he said, smiling. "Before you were born."

"Well, that sucks." She wouldn't even bother telling him how much it sucked. Her heart was aching in an odd way, as she thought of being separated from her Jacob. "So…" She glanced around, feeling suddenly awkward. "I forgot my cell phone at home. Can you call Emily for me?"

Jacob frowned. "If you forgot your phone, how are you planning to get to Washington?"

"I can read a map," she said, rolling her eyes. "It can't be that hard."

"Okay."

"I'll just…" She gulped. "Find some road that goes west and just drive, I guess."

"Have fun."

He wasn't going to come with, and he wasn't going to try to talk her out of it. She heaved a sigh, got to her feet, and picked up her bag. "I guess I'll see you later."

"I guess." Getting to his feet, Jacob held out his arms. "Be careful, okay? Call me if you need anything."

She gave him a tight hug, feeling really apprehensive for the first time. "I don't have my phone."

"Remember those payphones I told you to use for emergencies?"

"Yeah."

"If you see one, call me. You can use your credit card." He let go of her and smiled. "Drive safe."

/-/-/-/-/-/

Maybe she didn't have her cell, but her car did have a built in GPS. That GPS produced a signal that was being picked up by a tower and transmitted to Seattle, Washington, where a guy named Seth Clearwater would be sitting in a house with some random hot chick, smoking weed and tracking people on his computer. Seth would send Jacob a text as to where Renesmee was headed, where she turned, when she stopped.

He caught up with her a few miles east of town at a rest area. His lights were still off, and he slid into a parking space. Carefully, he dialed a number and waited for it to connect.

"Well? Did you find her? Is she okay?"

Jacob grinned, imagining Edward's hair standing on end from pulling at it. "She hasn't gotten very far. She's going the right direction for Washington, though. I don't know if she'll go through with it or not."

"Where are you?"

"At that rest area outside Fergus Falls," he replied. "I think she made it, what, ten, fifteen miles? She's going the right direction."

"What's happening now?"

"She's just sitting in the car."

Both of them were silent for a few moments while Jacob staked out the car. There was no movement inside, and he couldn't even see her. The only sounds came from his phone—the sound of rushing air as Edward raced through the sparsely populated land between Underwood and Fergus Falls.

"Okay, I see you," he said softly a few minutes later. "Look to the left of the tree."

"Dude, it's Minnesota. It's like saying, 'Hey, I'm at the lake.' Which tree?" There was a brief flash of something white—a hand, darting out and retreating. "Okay, I see you."

"She's not going anywhere," Edward said, and he sounded a little worried. "What should I do?"

"Stay there. If you walk up to her car, you'll scare the shit out of her, then she'll start screaming." Jacob took the keys from the ignition. "She's so unreasonably pissed right now, it's not even funny. What you do is, at a key point in the conversation, call me and start freaking out."

"Freak out," he said, "got it." Then he sighed. "How do I always manage to make her angrier than anyone else?"

Jacob grinned. "She's your kid. She wound up with your temper, and Bella's on top. She's gotta have the spirit to go with all that hair."

And with that, he hung up and climbed out of the car to walk over to hers.

She was curled up on the front seat, and she blinked up at him once before opening her passenger door when he tapped on the window. He climbed in and sat in the low seat, his head touching the ceiling.

"Take 94 to 90 and you'll wind up in Seattle," he said. "You can probably remember from there."

She gazed up at him, big doe eyes wide and scared. "I've never been that far away from my family before," she whispered.

"You'll have Charlie." He tried to fight his grin.

"Yeah," Renesmee said softly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She shrugged.

He already knew. Knew she was really angry at her father, but also knew that she'd be over it soon, if she wasn't already, and knew that running away from everyone, including himself, wasn't something she could do.

So that was why, though it broke her little heart, and his, to imagine it, he'd sent her packing alone.

He was right. She'd made it ten minutes on her own before pulling over.

"Will you show me?" He held out his hand.

She stared at it a moment before wrapping her fingers around his. The flow of thoughts and feelings and images from her was instant, and he frowned when she recalled Edward yelling at her that she couldn't go out by herself anymore.

_You're lucky you get any help, bloodsucker,_ he thought, with a glance toward the trees.

But he could understand. She'd broken curfew for the first time six months ago, and had been doing it ever since. She'd babyfaced her way out for the last time, it seemed. Edward, who had grown sick of worrying about her to the point of literally wearing a hole in the carpet with his frantic pacing, had finally snapped.

She pulled her hand away, giving a little sigh, and snuggling into the seat cushions a little deeper. "I'm just going to stay here for a little while. I'm really tired."

"You should probably know that you dad is more than likely in a state of panic right now," he said quietly, reclining the seat to give his head some room.

"No, he's not," she said. "Why would he be? He doesn't care."

"Because every time you run late, or get too far away to where he can't hear you, he generally does that." He grinned. "And he does care. Doesn't matter how mad he gets."

"Whatever." She closed her eyes.

Jacob's phone rang, and he rolled his eyes. _No patience. Fine._ He answered. "Hello?"

Edward's panic seemed genuine. "Did you find her? I can't find her anywhere, and she took the car, so I can't follow her, and—"

"Dude." Jacob frowned. _Seriously. She's fine. _"Calm down, man, she's right here."

Renesmee scowled at the phone and shook her head.

"Come on, kid," he whispered, covering up the receiver. "Just say hello."

She sighed dramatically, but took the phone. "Hello, father."

There was a pause, probably for Edward to take a deep breath. The man's love seriously came out a lot as anger. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. _Good._

Her beautiful eyes rolled. "I'm fine, dad."

"Why did you run away?" He sounded heartbroken. Jacob began to wonder if it was an act, or not.

Renesmee inhaled, and then blew it all out in a rush. "You're embarrassing me, daddy! I can pick out my own clothes, and you don't need to follow me around school with sweatpants. I happen to think I look really nice." She cocked an eyebrow. "Are you saying I look ugly?"

There was a pause, then Edward sighed. "No, darling, you look lovely. It's just that everyone else notices, too, and they look at you a little… differently."

"It's never going to change, daddy," she explained, like he was a kid. "I know I'm five, but I look ten years older than that. People are going to start noticing, daddy. I'm a woman! I want to wear clothes like a woman!" If she were standing, she would have stomped her foot.

This was about her clothes?

The teeny shirts that hugged her growing curves? Her too-short shorts? The shoes that he swore altered his DNA?

Jacob snatched the phone back. "I'll have her home in twenty minutes," he called to the trees. "You take my car."

And with that, Jacob yanked her out of the driver's seat and was around to the other side before she could get a sound out.

As he peeled out of the parking lot and back onto the highway, she let out a furious screech. He winced, wondering if his earlobes had been harmed.

"Not fair!" she cried, crossing her arms and huffing furiously, like a bull. Her face was flushed a beautiful pink. "You _always_ take his side!"

He focused on the road ahead. "Because I _always_ agree with him on this, and you know it."

"Why do you care?" she grumbled, slumping down in her seat.

He sighed, running a hand over his face. She'd been asking him this a lot lately, as he'd been siding with her dad on the benefits of wearing sweatpants to school.

"Because I don't want anyone else looking at you," he muttered, his usual response.

"Whatever. You just don't realize that I'm a growing woman," she said, glaring out the window.

"I do, too," he argued, glancing at her. "I don't think anyone would argue that you're growing up."

"Can you believe how big my boobs are getting?" she exclaimed suddenly, grabbing the breasts in question.

He squeezed his eyes closed for a second, trying to get rid of that image. It was hard.

"Sorry," she said, dropping her hands at once and flushing. "Does it bother you if I talk about… that stuff?"

"Not really," he lied.

She raised her eyebrow.

"Maybe a little, but not in the way you might think." He huffed when she stared at him, confused. "Just, no more… touching of… body parts." He waved his hand, frustrated, and started to ramble. "I mean, yeah—your boobs are getting bigger. Who wouldn't notice? And just… things…" Jacob shook his head. "I hate having to hear guys talk about your ass, because then I have to look at it and think, well, yeah, it is nice, and I don't want them anywhere near it!" He continued his rant, oblivious to the expressions crossing her face. "Seriously, you need to think about sweatpants. Those boys don't need to see… that. And neither do I, for that matter. I mean, I…" He gulped and glanced at her, embarrassed.

She was smirking at him.

"Jacob," she said quietly, coyly, "are you jealous?"

He scoffed. "Psh! I don't get jealous."

"Possessive, then." The smirk grew.

"Shut up," he huffed. "Forget I said anything."

She giggled. "You think I'm sexy."

He didn't respond.

"Oh, my God!" She kept giggling, and her face was bright red.

She didn't say anything else, but every so often on the drive home, she'd glance at him and giggle.

He pulled into the drive. He climbed stiffly from the car and went to sit on the front steps to wait for Edward to bring his car back.

Renesmee sat down next to him. He glanced over, and noticed for the first time what she was wearing.

She wore black cotton sweats and a hooded White Sox sweatshirt. Her hair was a disaster.

And once again, embarrassingly, he blurted out the truth again.

"I think you look hot in sweats."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"I think you're sexy when you get home from work."

Then she was pulling up the hood and proceeding to hide her face, only letting her eyes just peak out. They were huge, and it was such a funny sight, he couldn't help laughing.

"Thanks."

Edward pulled into the drive then, and when he got out of the car, he looked oddly calm. "I called your mother," he said to his daughter, by way of greeting. "She's giving you bubble time."

"Bubble time" was what they called it when Bella put a shield around her daughter, like a bubble to keep her thoughts from Edward's.

"Cool."

He leaned down, dropping a kiss on her forehead, then pausing, frowning. His hand reached under her hair to her forehead. "Are you alright, darling?" he said, and his voice took on that panicked edge again. "You feel warm."

"Oh, my God," she moaned. She buried her face in her arms. "I'm fine, daddy. Stop freaking out that I'm going to catch the flu and die."

Edward stepped back, looking confused. "What did I say?"

"Nothing, man," he said, shaking his head. Bella must be shielding both of them. "I'm gonna take off."

Edward nodded. "Have a nice evening, Jacob," he said, then added an earnest, "And thank you."

"Sure."

Renesmee walked with Jacob to his car, not meeting his eyes.

"So, see you tomorrow?" he asked. "Still want help with changing your oil?"

"Yeah." Then she looked up at him. "Will you still be my best friend, after…"

She trailed off, and he knew what she was asking.

His girl wasn't stupid. She knew what imprinting was, knew what it would lead to. It was understood. But it was still new.

"Sorry to tell ya, kid," he said, reaching under the hood to mess with her hair, "but you're stuck with me."

She dodged his hand and bounced back a little. Then, quick as a hummingbird darting to and fro, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before darting into the house. He heard her bedroom door slam, and heard Bella laugh.

It took two hours to get home that night.

_a/n Aw. And no, that does NOT constitute a first kiss. That's another tale for another day…_

_Hope you enjoyed! Review!_


	3. Death

_a/n Oh, Jesus, kids, grab the tissues. I'm trying to write, but it's heavy and I'm crying while I'm laughing. Grrrr… This is like that one episode of Glee where everybody cried. Oh, grilled Cheesus…_

_Renesmee's around six and a half here. Again, these are NOT chronological. They will bounce around._

_**Death**_

To no one's surprise, it rained the day of Billy Black's funeral.

Climbing from the car, Renesmee Cullen opened a large umbrella and jogged, her high heals clicking on the pavement of the narrow drive. She reached the car ahead of hers just as the door opened. The driver already had an umbrella up, but Jacob ignored it, making his way under Renesmee's and wrapping his warm arms around her. He drew in a deep shuddering breath, and clutched him close with one arm, the other holding the umbrella over them both.

On the other side of the car, Paul was helping a pregnant Rachel out of the car. She held his hand tightly, one hand resting on the huge bump of her belly. He walked slowly toward the tent with her, but Jacob stood holding Renesmee in the cool Washington rain.

Her mind flashed to four days ago.

_Renesmee sat cross-legged on the porch swing, holding her tea tightly. Every so often she would sip before glancing at the door. Then she would close her eyes and listen to the patter of the rain over her head._

_Anything to avoid listening to the sounds from inside._

_There was the sound of quick footsteps, then the front door opened to reveal her grandfather. Charlie's eyes reflected hers exactly—bleary chocolate irises surrounded by red. He looked older than he had this time yesterday._

"_It won't be long, now," he said softly. "He's asking for you."_

_Billy's bedroom was packed. Rachel and Rebecca stood on one side of the bed with their husbands. Jacob was on the other side, next to the chair where Carlisle had set up vigil for the past week. She slid in next to Jacob, and he reached back for her hand._

_Billy's eyes were closed, and his breathing was labored. Most of the IVs of the past six months were gone. Only a drip to keep him hydrated, and morphine to dull any pain he might have been in._

_Renesmee felt her throat closing up and tears welling in her eyes as she gazed down at the man who would have been her father-in-law in just a few months. The man who had given her advice on how to handle Jacob. The one who had taken her fishing and taught her how to make the most beautiful jewelry from things you could find in the woods and on the beach._

_The man who had raised the man she was going to marry._

_Behind her, Charlie had reentered the room. He gently shook Billy awake, and his bleary eyes opened. He gave her his crinkly grin. "Hey, honey," he whispered, his voice raspy._

_She tried so hard to smile, but it made the tears fall. "Hey, Billy," she choked out, reaching out her other hand to take his wizened one in hers._

"_Remember what I asked you?" he whispered. "Remember?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Show me."_

_She showed him her memory of him, a year ago, when his cancer symptoms had suddenly come screaming into existence. He'd made a request, and she had promised._

"_Don't forget," he whispered. "It's important."_

_A weak, watery laugh escaped her lips at the reminder of Billy's request. "I won't."_

_He exhaled, and his eyes drifted closed again. "I love all of you dearly," he rasped. "And I'm happy you're here. I'm not alone."_

_There were murmurs from all around of love from everyone, and he smiled._

"_Yeah," he said quietly. "I know."_

_Then he sighed deeply and drifted off._

_It was the last breath he'd ever take._

_Later that night, Jacob had joined her on the front porch, curling into a ball with his head in her lap, and she'd dragged his fingers through his hair._

_It was a while before either of them spoke, and he went first._

"_It's going to happen to everyone I love," he whispered, and he sounded hollow. "One at a time, they're all going to die. My sisters, my friends…"_

_Then he cupped her face in his big hands and stared up into her eyes._

"_But not you," he whispered fervently. "You have to stay. No matter what happens, you can't go anywhere."_

_Her tears had fallen on his face, and he'd reached up to wipe them away._

"_I won't go anywhere," she whispered back. "I promise."_

Renesmee blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the tears. Jacob took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. Then he pulled back, and he had a sad smile on his face. "Did you get what you needed?"

"Yeah." She nodded toward the car. "Walk with me?"

Together, they lifted the old beat up cooler that had housed a lot of beer in its day out of the car and walked it to the tent. Jacob had no idea what was inside, nor did anyone else. But she'd promised Billy, and he was going to get what he wanted. All Jacob knew was that she wanted to say a few words, on Billy's behalf.

And so she stood and cracked the seal of the envelope.

"I don't want people to be sad when I'm gone," he'd said. "I want them to be happy I was here. And I'm not trying to have a big ego here, but people are gonna cry." He'd been right, of course.

The smile crossed her face without her trying, for the first time in days. She could feel the tears still, but it was different now. She looked out at the little group of his family and friends, _her_ family and friends, and began to speak.

"About a year ago, Billy wrote a letter and made me promise to read it when he died," she said. "He wrote it with instructions that it be read while Charlie passes out what's in that cooler." She glanced toward her grandfather, who looked confused. "Charlie? Can you grab that?" She nodded toward the fishing cooler.

Charlie made his way over, opening it up to glance inside. Then he burst out laughing, wiping tears of grief and mirth from his eyes.

As Charlie passed out the beers Billy had insisted on, she unfolded the paper and read the letter.

"'To my friends and family: I'm sorry I can't sit with you all today. I'm here, though, even if you can't see me. I want to remind you of where I'll be, so you don't have to worry about losing me.

'Charlie, you're at the baseball park. We're thirty. I know—we used to be thirty. Hard to believe. You caught that grand slam, remember? The Mariners won the game, and we won thirty bucks off Harry when he tried to insist they were going to lose, just because we were there.'" There were a few laughs, and she continued.

"'Rachel and Rebecca, you're up to your elbows in flour. You were trying to help your mom bake a cake for Jake's second birthday. You just forgot to ask her for help. I swear, I don't think I'd ever laughed so hard in my life. You thought I was going to be mad, but you girls were always too cute to stay mad at.

'Jake's got to be one of my favorites. I can't remember how old you were, maybe twelve or thirteen, when you were helping build the ramp with Charlie. You thought my chair needed to be pimped out, and you decorated the wheels with spray-painted foil you and Quil stole from the garage.

'Paul and Ness get the same memory. It was the first time she'd gotten drunk, and she broke Paul's nose, gave it time to heal, and broke it again.'" Renesmee burst out laughing, as did Paul and several others. "'I've never seen a woman explode like that. For a minute, I was a little scared. I told Jake, whatever he does, to try not to piss you off.

'I wasn't sad when they told me I was going to die, that I had maybe two years, probably less. I learned a long time ago that we aren't all meant to have long lives, as long as they are happy lives. Right now you're sad that I'm gone, and there's probably some tears.'" Renesmee smiled, reading ahead slightly. "'Ness cries over everything, so she's probably crying now.' Good call," she said, nodding and laughing a little around her tears. "'When she's done, everybody tell a memory that makes you laugh, so you can know that I had a good life. I will die happy, with no regrets. So drink, laugh, and remember me. Love, Billy."

And so, with laughter and tears, everyone told a memory of a time Billy had made them laugh. They drank beer and before too long, the cemetery was filled with laughter.

After the funeral, Jacob rode with Renesmee to Quil's house, where they were crashing. Billy's house was too emotional for him right now, and she would probably end up killing Paul at some point if they stayed there.

Plus, Quil's house was bigger. He had a good job working as a manager at the first honest machine shop in the area, a shop owned by Jacob Black and run by his closest friends in his stead. What had started as three guys in a garage had evolved into a shop in La Push, and another up in Port Angeles, which was run by Embry.

Quil was already there by the time they got back. His feet were propped up, and Embry sat across from him. They each held a beer in their hands, and wore smiles on their faces.

"Hey, Jake," Quil said, grinning, "remember the motorcycles?"

He laughed and pulled her upstairs.

"What motorcycles?" she asked.

"When we were younger, when your mom and I first started hanging out, we were building these motorcycles." He chuckled. "We had to hide the whole thing from Billy so he wouldn't tell Charlie."

He pulled her into the guest room and wrapped her in his arms. She hugged him back, smiling slightly when he lifted her off her feet.

"Thanks for being here," he said softly. "Is this going to set you back in school?" She'd just started college, skipping high school altogether, to become a dental hygienist. He was confused as hell by this, not understanding her fascination with people's teeth. It was just amazing how fragile they were, how they had to be very careful to take care of themselves, and how miserably some of them failed at it.

"Not really," she said. "I missed a practical, but my professor's going to let me make it up. Don't worry." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, laughing. "Leave it to my dad to get people drunk at his own funeral."

"Charlie was pretty tanked," she said, nodding. "Good thing Sue stayed sober. Sort of. She passed her sobriety test, in any case," she said, laughing. "I can't believe Charlie actually pulled him over once and made him do one. It's too funny."

He cupped the back of her head in his big hand as he lay her across the queen sized bed. "You look so beautiful."

"It's Chanel," she said, smiling.

"I don't care what it is," he muttered, reaching underneath. "Why did you wear hose today? I hate those things."

She giggled as he fought them off, finally making them land in a pile on the floor. His hands ran up her bare legs, just feeling the skin there. He buried his face in her neck. "Is it bad that I want you right now?"

"No," she whispered. "I want you, too."

His lips met hers, and they were salty from his tears. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he slid his arms under her to hold her tightly. Her fingers made their way to his hair and twined themselves in the strands there, tugged him closer. He wrapped her legs around him and supported her while he hoisted her up so that she was straddling him while he was more or less sitting. She moaned, and he inhaled sharply. His hands tightened on the back of her dress briefly before reaching up to unzip it. He slid the silky material over her head, leaving her in a simple black bra and panty set. It was hard not to roll her eyes when his nearly popped out of his head. He'd seen her naked and in various states of undress, but for some reason, black lingerie really seemed to get a shock out of him. Like he was amazed to see such a dark color on his innocent girl.

Maybe innocent wasn't the right way to describe it, she thought coyly, keeping her thoughts to herself. The way he was touching her now certainly wasn't innocent.

His hands were one of her favorite things about him. So big and warm, they felt amazing sliding everywhere, touching her more gently than it should have been possible for someone his size. His mouth wasn't bad, either, helping his hands to touch where they could not. His hot lips wrapped around a nipple—where had her bra gone?—and she threw her head back and moaned.

He kept muttering, and she wasn't paying much attention, because of those hands and that mouth, until one word caught her ear.

"Stay," he muttered at her belly button.

Tenderly, she reached down to pull his face up so she could look into his eyes. He moved so he was at eye level with her, and she noticed the slight return of his tears. His eyes were red, brimming a little.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, showing him through her touch her love, glimpses of the future she sometimes fantasized about. Their endless future…

Taking great care, as if she were a china doll, Jacob wrapped his arms around her again and lowered her to the pillows. At some point, he'd lost most of his clothes, and was down to just an undershirt and boxers. She reached down and caught the hem of the shirt, pulling it up to bare his sculpted chest. Her fingers danced across his bronze skin while he shed out of his boxers.

It wasn't unusual for their lovemaking to be frantic, pawing at each other like teenagers, eager to get the show on the road, so to speak.

Tonight was different. In the back of her mind, she knew part of it had to do with the fact that the people downstairs, but they had probably heard worse, and probably didn't even really care.

But she also knew he wanted to take his time. He didn't want to feel hurried, and so he romanced her, slowly teasing her, bring forth little gasps and moans of delight. She felt like Jello, and he hadn't even taken her yet.

His lips toyed with her softest flesh and he watched her face, seeming unable to take his eyes off her. She felt so exposed under his gaze, and the exposure felt amazing. He owned her, and unless he ordered her otherwise, she wasn't going to leave his side.

Her hands were on him, then, and he heard her thoughts when her concentration dropped. He inhaled sharply, then moved up to press his lips to hers. She moaned at the flavor, both of them combined, and he reached down to hoist her legs up higher.

Slowly… Slowly…

Slowly, he took her.

His eyes closed, and his face screwed up in pleasure. It had been a while since they'd had time for this, with Billy being so sick—it wasn't like they'd done it that many times, anyway—and she felt stretched. He moved slowly, letting her regrow accustomed to him. She lost sight of him when he reached under her and her eyes closed at the sensation of him sliding even deeper, if it was possible. One hand went to his back, and her skin on his gave him unlimited access to what was going on in her head.

Perhaps he could also see that her mind was sufficiently blown at the moment. Her thoughts weren't even coherent as he made love to her, still so slowly. Her sensitive body had plenty of time to register the feeling of flesh on flesh. She could feel the beads of sweat forming on her body, and felt them mix with hers. She'd probably smell like him for a while. It was fine with her.

It was like she was bathed in him, and the thought aroused her further.

And going so slowly, he noticed.

It seemed like the combination of being connected with her body _and_ her mind turned him on, as well.

He grew harder and slid even deeper, swelling up, and she let out a long, low moan, her back arching and her head falling back. "Oh, God," she whispered, not even knowing she'd said anything.

Her eyes opened, and she giggled at the expression on his face. His hair was sweaty, and his dark eyes twinkled. He was also grinning down at her like the teenaged boy he still was, in so many ways. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away to smile at her again. "Think that's funny, kid?" he asked, thrusting against her and making her forget a little that he'd asked her a question.

"Mmmmmm." Huh? Her eyes fluttered shut again.

He shifted so his full weight rested on her and their entire bodies were covered by each other. She took a shuddering breath, wrapping herself tighter around him. "You should hear yourself," he murmured, nipping her ear. "Moaning and groaning and swearing. They can probably hear you downstairs."

Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to care. She knew she would later, but right now, he was inside her, making love to her, making her feel things no one else ever had, or ever could. The focus on it fresh, she could hear the sounds coming from her mouth now.

Oh, dear sweet baby Jesus.

"Don't hold it back," he murmured, and his voice sounded tight. "I want to hear you. I want to make sure it's not all a dream."

It took a lot of effort, but she finally managed to open her eyes again to look at him. His eyes were a little red rimmed, and she cupped his face, pulling him down to kiss her. He inhaled sharply and she wrapped her arms around him, showing him all the love she felt for him, pouring it into him and flooding his mind. With them.

Images of them like this, making love.

But there were others.

A beach on a sunny day. An old garage, sheltering his pet project and a few beers for them to share. A tree house she'd built when she'd been five. His eyes when he laughed. The feeling in her stomach when he kissed her. The physical pain of his absence, and the absolute delight of his presence. The way she felt about the dimples at the bottom of his back, and the way his hair fell across his face when he exerted himself.

Things she wanted. A house. A small, elegant white wedding. Them in a living room somewhere, snuggled up on the couch watching a movie. In a bathtub in their house. She showed him the things he would be able to do to her then, with no one to hear them. Maybe…

She had that errant thought again, of her holding a baby with dark curls…

It set off Jacob's body like a kick start. His eyes rolled back in his head, and his thrusts started to pick up in speed and force. He reached back to unwrap her legs from his waist, instead pulling them up to lie flat against his chest and shoulders. Her eyes irresistibly closed and she just felt, and heard for several blissful minutes the sounds of their bodies moving together.

"I love you," he whispered, thrusting harder. He shoved her legs down, pinning her spread knees to the bed, and she squealed. He didn't stop, didn't slow down. He pounded into her over and over, and she felt herself starting to slip.

He reached down, pressing a hand gently against her pelvis and compressing slightly. Her eyes opened wide when he hit a soft patch inside her, and the result was instant. The animalistic sounds that fell from her mouth then, growls and hisses and wild moans, only seemed to spur him on. Her release was hard and lasting, as he kept her moving. Finally, he finished, his sounds matching hers, moans and growls that reverberated through his broad chest.

It was a while before either of them moved, both their bodies rendered useless by the other. After a long several minutes, Jacob rolled over, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her so she rested on top of him.

"Don't get up before me tomorrow," he muttered. "And stay in bed if you do. Otherwise you'll give me a heart attack."

She smiled. "I'll be here." She reached up, threading her hands in his hair. "I'm not going anywhere." His eyes were slightly rimmed again, and she kissed him softly. "I love you."

"I love you," he whispered, and pulled her tighter to him. She snuggled into his chest like a contented cat, even purring a little. He smiled at this and rubbed her back with one broad hand…

She awoke sometime later. She wasn't sure of the time, but it was still dark out. The rain pattered on the roof, and Jacob was sitting up on the edge of the bed, his hands gripping the mattress edges. Blinking sleepily, Renesmee stared at his back for a moment before sitting up, rubbing her eyes. "Baby?"

Jacob's head snapped around. "Hey, kid," he whispered, smiling at her. He'd been crying. _Had_ been. Seemed finished now. "Go to sleep."

She shook her head, rubbing her head. She realized she was still undressed, and he had put on boxers and a t-shirt. She'd slept in Jacob's bed before, but somehow, this time was different. Any reservations, any shy feelings, were all gone. She was totally exposed to him, and she didn't care. "Could you not get to sleep?" she asked, her voice rough from her own sleep.

He shook his head. She lay back down, holding her arms open. When he didn't move right away, she cocked an eyebrow. "Don't you go all manly on me now. Get down here."

He grinned and lay down, letting her cradle his head to her chest. She played with his hair and thought hard for a moment before she smiled.

When she'd been young and couldn't sleep, her mother sang to her.

So she sang the same song. The words fell softly, quietly, from her lips, and sure enough, his eyelids started to droop. She rubbed his back softly, giving him comfort and safety like he'd so often given to her.

His breathing slowed, and eventually, so did hers, and they slept without moving.

_a/n Ladies—never ever write a death chapter during PMS. You _will_ cry. It is not an option._

_Hope you liked! Review! They make me happy._

_UPDATE: Still taking suggestions for firsts. Hope all my fellow Midwesterners are okay, and that you haven't blown away. Peace!  
_


	4. Date

_a/n Originally, this was requested by dazzelglo at the beginning. Several of you requested it again, so I had to write it. Enjoy! _

_On a side note, I know I'm a slow updater. But you should know that if you go to Chicago in October, you can still visit Navy Pier until 10 pm on the weekends, and Les Nomades really is a fancy, expensive French restaurant on Ontario in Chi town, where the wine list is to die for._

_a/n 2: Never update when you're as tired as I was yesterday. This first brought to you by dazzelglo and always.-didn't want you guys to feel unappreciated! The rest of you that also suggested it-enjoy.  
_

_**DATE**_

Normal six year olds did not have boobs. It was, therefore, acceptable for an abnormal six year old with boobs and little hips be allowed to go on a date. She looked seventeen, and acted sometimes even older than that.

That was her argument.

Her father's argument had been that, when she wasn't thinking at or above her appearance's age level, she acted like a six year old—whining, throwing little fits, and generally being spoiled.

The final decision was made by her mother. Her mother's reasoning was that her father spoiled her with everything else, so she was going to spoil their daughter with this.

"Teenagers can act like six year olds whether they're six or one hundred and ten." Her eyes narrowed at her teenage husband, who frowned back. Perfectly, as if on cue, he crossed his arms and let out a little _huff_ of indignation. When he'd unsurprisingly offered no resistance, she'd smiled. "See? You spoil all your women, baby, we can't help it." Then she turned her smile to her daughter. "You can go on your date, honey. Have fun. But you have to be home by midnight."

Her father had spluttered. "Midnight?" He'd thrown his arms out to the side. "Why not just make it tomorrow?"

"When would you have her home by?"

"Nine."

"No."

"Yes."

Her mother's eyes had narrowed. "No," she said, drawing out the two letters for much longer than was usual.

Edward took a little step back. "Ten thirty?"

"No."

He sighed. "Eleven?"

"Midnight, on the dot. Not a second earlier, or later." Her teeth had been clenched, daring him to refuse her.

So, as she usually did, Renesmee won and skipped off triumphantly to her room.

Now, four days later, she stood in the middle of a bedroom that appeared to have been visited by a tornado.

There was a soft knock, and her mother's voice called, "Sweetie? How's it going in there?"

Renesmee squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to get upset. _Nothing_ looked good on her. "Mommy?"

The door opened and closed an instant later. "Baby?" Bella stayed out of sight, not entering the closet. "What's the matter?"

"I don't have anything to wear!" Renesmee cried, and burst into tears.

Her mother's cool arms were around her a moment later, and she cradled her daughter in her arms, laughing.

"Oh, my God," she cried, and she sounded positively delighted. "I'm so glad you're a normal child!"

Renesmee couldn't help bursting into laughter. "Oh, so _now_ I'm normal."

"I never said you weren't." She pressed a kiss to her daughter's head and stood her up. "Let's take a look at ya." Making it a point to look anywhere but at her mother, Renesmee didn't see the amused face. "I think pants might be a good place to start."

_Oh, my God._ "I tried that," she said, feeling her face heat up. _Thanks, mom, for the killer blush. I'll never need to buy that particular cosmetic._ "But once I found pants, I couldn't find a shirt I liked with them."

Bella smiled, and it was then that she noticed the bags on the floor, reigning tall and proud on top of the clutter. One was from Prada, and another was from Jimmy Choo. She blushed at the third bag, a little black and white bag from La Perla. "Did Alice think I'd need those?"

Bella grinned. "No," she said. "Alice doesn't know you as well as I do. I got those."

The Prada bag contained a wrap dress and sheer hose, which her mother insisted she needed. She was worried about her shoes, but she grinned when she pulled out a pair of black leather heals. She was getting ready to pull them on when her mother stopped her, shaking her head and holding out the La Perla bag.

"Oh, my God, mother!" Renesmee snatched the bag. "Really? This is embarrassing!"

Bella's eyes narrowed. "They're not for him," she said, "they're for you."

"Me?"

"Yes. Put them on. They make you more powerful."

"Okay," Renesmee said slowly, taking the bag. "But you have to turn around."

Bella left the closet while her daughter changed. Renesmee could hear her straightening things in the other room, and she rolled her eyes. The woman really was a mom. She could also hear, down the hall, her father pacing back and forth in their bedroom. He would take ten steps, stop, turn, ten steps, stop, pause and move something, then turn and repeat the process. Typical.

After she'd put on the underwear (which really did make her feel more powerful) and the rest of the ensemble, she looked in the mirror. Her mother had done well, dressing her just a little sexy, completely in black but covered up. All she needed now was some jewelry. Just a necklace, maybe, since you couldn't really see her ears through all the curly hair.

There was a sigh, and her father picked something up and stopped his pacing, walking instead to the door and opening it. She was just stepping out of the closet for her mother to see when there was a knock on her bedroom door. She glanced around, noting that her mother had folded most of her clothes, putting others on hangers for her closet.

"Come in, Daddy," she called, doing a little spin for her mother.

"Oh, honey, you look so pretty," Bella said softly, smiling. She looked like she might cry.

"Oh, God, mom, don't get all weepy," she said, and she smiled at her father. Whatever was bothering him, she wasn't going to let it bother her. She beamed at him and turned. "What do you think?"

Edward's hands were behind his back, and he looked a little sad. "You look lovely, Renesmee," he said quietly. "But you're missing something."

"I know." She turned back to the mirror, frowning. "I need a necklace or—"

She was cut off when he appeared suddenly behind her, fastening a beautiful choker around her. A gasp of surprise slipped from her lips as he matter-of-factly lifted up her hair and fastened it. "It was your grandmother's," he said quietly. "It matched her eyes exactly." He grinned at her in the mirror. "And you look good in green with that unfortunate color of hair you've got."

She laughed delightedly. "I love our hair color," she said, standing a little straighter as he straightened it.

It was a relatively simple design, but the diamonds and emeralds would have made any design beautiful. This was crusted with diamonds that connected and surrounded emeralds, draping close around her neck. It looked very old, and she knew that when she said her grandmother had owned it, he hadn't meant Esme.

Renesmee knew her father was kept a lot of his mother's jewelry still, waiting for a time for it to be used again. Every so often, he would produce one from a vault somewhere and give it to Bella for Christmas, or an anniversary. But Renesmee had not had much interest in jewelry until recently, and knew that if he wanted to give her anything, he would, in his own time.

The sound of the doorbell ringing made Renesmee jump. She looked up at her father.

"I'll go open the door," he said, rolling his eyes. "You finish getting ready."

"Be nice," Renesmee whispered. "Please, daddy?" She let her lips pout out and made her eyes wide. "Please?"

"I'm always nice," he said, stalking from the room.

Bella giggled. "He sounds just like Charlie," she giggled. "Come on. Let's fix your hair."

In the end, Renesmee ended up wearing the little diamond studs from Tiffany her father had gotten her for her last birthday. Her hair was pinned away from her face with a couple of beautiful combs her mother had produced. She'd declared her daughter beautiful before flouncing out the door with a wink. Renesmee had followed after, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

So this is what happened when you mixed classy with sexy. She held up her chin a little higher and made her way downstairs.

For their first date, Jacob was taking her to a last supper in Chicago. They were leaving after only a few months in the Windy City to return to Forks. Billy had taken a turn for the worse, and flying back and forth constantly was starting to take its toll. Jacob was exhausted from the travel, and Renesmee, feeling obligated to stand by her friend in his darkest hour, had been exhausted from both the travel and his exhaustion. So the decision had been made for the pair of them to go back with Bella, Edward, Carlisle, and Esme for a while. Carlisle had offered his services free of charge so that Billy wouldn't have to leave his home to receive the care he needed.

He wanted to stay home. He wasn't sure how much longer he had, and he didn't want to spend the time in a hospital.

Tonight, they were going Les Nomades for dinner, and Navy Pier afterward to watch the fireworks. She was excited, ready to eat at a fancy restaurant and go out on the town. Grudgingly, her father had agreed to let her use the ID that said she was twenty-one, as long as she was responsible with it. Dressed the way she was, she could just pull off twenty-one. A young looking twenty-one, but twenty-one nonetheless. So she was going to drink wine, too.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she let her eyes land on Jacob, smiling as he stared up at her. He looked handsome in a tan linen suit with the jacket open over the blue shirt that had the top three buttons undone. His big hands were in his pockets, and his wide, dark eyes were trained on her.

"You look great," he said softly when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out the door. "Let's go," she said, anxious to be away from her father's glare.

Jacob had been her best friend for a long time until last month. It had been her sixth birthday, and she'd been feeling different about him for a few months by then. At Carlisle and Esme's lakefront home, while walking down the sandy beach, he'd held her hand and asked her if there was anything else she'd wanted.

He slid his hand into hers once they were outside and smiled down at her. "So, I figured you'd wear heals," he said, his eyes twinkling, "and I really hate parking my car, so I asked your dad what to do, and this was his suggestion." He nodded toward a glossy black limousine parked in the street in front of the house. "What do you think?"

She gaped. She'd never before ridden in a limousine. She'd seen plenty of them, seen the people that rode in them.

"You said you wanted to be a fancy lady for a night," he said, grinning.

"Fancy, indeed," she whispered.

The driver got out and opened the door for her, and she almost felt like the neighbors were watching her. The comfortable people in their nice, historic homes. It was like a rush. She imagined what they saw. Their odd neighbor and her friend, two fabulously beautiful people, dressed to the nines getting in a limo.

Perfect first date.

He took her to Les Nomades for dinner, a fancy French place, so fancy it was the reason he wore a suit. He made her giggle when he formally ordered a bottle of their best champagne. Their waiter smiled brightly and didn't even card her, which bummed her a little.

And when he brought the bottle, Jacob was the one that poured it for her. She smiled demurely when he held up his glass.

"Here's to you, kid," he said, grinning. They clinked glasses, and she sipped while waiting for the first course.

She kept waiting for the awkwardness to creep in, but it never did.

During the third course, their conversation turned to cars. "So, I got a new one to fix up, when I get home," he said, and he frowned. "It's different. It's really old Buick from the 40s, and I've never worked on them before. The guy's paying the shop a lot of money to fix it up so he can show it, and they're waiting for me to get back to start work on it."

Renesmee swallowed her salmon and took a sip of wine. "You seem worried," she said, feeling her brow crinkle a little. She didn't like his frown.

"It's just a big contract job, and I've never done anything like it. I haven't worked on a car made before 1950, and those old pre-World War II cars are another beast." He sighed. "I just don't want to screw it up."

An image of her dad's 1940 Buick Special came to mind, and she took Jacob's hand to show him.

"Yeah, I know," he muttered. "He probably would know where to start." Then he grinned wickedly. "Better than asking Blondie for help."

Renesmee burst out laughing. She hadn't even thought of that herself, and with her hand still on his, he saw this.

"Glad to know you understand my feelings for her," he said, chuckling. "Although I have to admit, she probably would know more than your dad and it'd look great if she helped, but she'd never let me live it down."

Renesmee let go of his hand to reach for her wine. "I know," she said, agreeing. "She's still not stopping about the Porsche."

"Which doesn't make sense, because it was from both of us."

"My favorite part of the whole thing was Aunt Alice's face," she said, laughing delightedly as she recalled the shock that had been there. "She didn't know what hit her!"

"A yellow Porsche 911 from 1971." He grinned. It had been a dual effort to shock Alice for Christmas. Jasper bought the car and the parts, with Jacob present, and Jacob and Rosalie had fixed it up. Alice hadn't seen anything until Christmas morning. There had been a moment of silence, when her face had frozen in shock. Then the screaming had started, and her tiny aunt had bounced from one of them to the next, hugging them, and giving Jasper a kiss that had prompted Emmett to tell them to get a room. "Totally worth Blondie's bitchiness."

"It was," she said, "and it came out great. Just like all the others. And every time, you go through the pre-funk of 'I don't know if I can do this.'" She smiled brightly. "There's a Mustang in my garage if you don't believe me."

"Two cars for your birthday." He shook his head. Her father had known the whole time that Jacob was fixing up a car for her, and had still bought her the Porsche, wanting her to have options. So, in the grand style of her father spoiling her, she'd gotten two cars for her birthday. Being her father's daughter, owning two cars was fine with her.

"I like my afternoon car," she said, referring to the Mustang. "And I like my fast car. And I wouldn't even mind a third."

"Buy yourself a junker," he said, grinning. "I'll make it purr."

"Don't think when you're done with that Buick that I won't take you up on that," she warned.

And as if that lack of anything awkward wasn't enough, she got fireworks. Just one more reason to love Chicago, and she told him as much while they waited for the show.

"You're going to miss it, huh?"

She nodded, threading her fingers through his. "I'm going to miss having everything be open twenty four hours, when the grocery store in Forks closes at ten. I'll miss the shopping, and I'll miss the sounds." She grinned. "I'll really miss the antics of Buehrle and Pauliewood, Gordon Beckham's ass, and seeing fireworks every night. But Michigan Avenue, Navy Pier, and the White Sox will always be here. You dad won't be."

It was the first time they'd talked about Billy all night.

His fingers tightened around hers. "We'll come back," he promised. His eyes were tight.

She looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know," she said softly. "We've got plenty of time."

She felt the gentle press of his lips on the top of her head, and as the first fireworks started, she turned her face to his to kiss him. It was a kiss full of promise.

Promises to love. Promises to stick around, to follow, and to guide. Promises of friendship.

His hands, warm despite the chilly bite of the October evening, cupped her face and held her close to him, gently. Just like she had that first kiss, she felt a little weak in the knees, and butterflies came to life in her stomach. In her ears, a roaring that may be from the fireworks.

And when it started to get a little out of control, he pulled away, breathing heavily, his eyelids heavy.

"We should get going," he said, and he was grinning. "We have one more thing to do."

She wasn't supposed to be home until midnight, he reasoned, so going to a movie was the only thing that made sense. What they saw, she wasn't sure. She couldn't tell you the actors, the characters they played, the plot, or even the genre.

He'd led her to the very back row of the sparsely seated theater, and when the lights had gone down, he'd pulled her toward him.

And then, as if just one kiss wasn't enough, they just kept going. Soft ones, hard ones, chaste ones, deep ones, tender ones, passionate ones. Kiss after kiss after kiss made her knees feel like gelatin. He would shush her gently every so often when a moan would escape her full lips, and she could feel her face blush. Once, when the sounds coming from the speakers were particularly loud, he whispered how beautiful he thought her blush was, which only proceeded to make her blush a deeper shade of crimson.

It was odd, how quickly an hour and forty-five minutes flew by when she was wrapped in his arms. All too soon, the lights were coming up and they separated. She knew her hair had to be mussed, and her lips had to be swollen, but she didn't care.

She was having the time of her life.

The ride home was fairly peaceful. Jacob rolled down the window as they drove up Lakeshore Drive. The cool night air coming off the lake calmed her raging blush and she snuggled against his shoulder. She dozed while they moved through the light evening traffic, too quickly for her liking.

As they pulled up to the house, Renesmee tried to organize her thoughts to spare her father, but Jacob smiled at her.

"I texted Bella," he whispered, leaning close to let his lips brush her ear. "He can't hear anything."

And with that, he kissed her softly, one more time. Then he was out of the car, opening the door for her. They walked up the sidewalk, hand in hand, and she turned to face him when she reached the door.

"Did you have fun?" he asked, grinning.

Her smile was so big it was painful. "I did," she said. "We have to find something to do when we get back to Washington."

"Yeah," he said, laughing. "Maybe we can go to the always exciting diner."

"Maybe," she mused, and quick as a bolt of lightning, she hopped up to kiss his cheek, before darting inside and shutting the door.

She was in her room an instant later, racing at top speed up the stairs, nearly taking out the newel post at the top.

"Careful," she heard her father call after her.

She was undressing and pulling on a pair of sweats when there was a soft knock at her door. Her mother.

"Come in."

Her mom looked young today. She hadn't noticed before, but she was dressed down in jeans and a Ramones shirt that appeared to belong to her husband. She plopped down on Renesmee's bed, leaning back against her hands. "Did you have fun?"

_Don't blush, don't blush, don't blush…_ "Yeah," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It was cool."

"Cool?" Bella cocked an eyebrow.

Renesmee turned back to her closet, looking for a different shirt. "Yeah." She could feel the blush creeping up. Her mother burst into delighted peals of laughter. A new thought entered her head, and she spun around. She pointed at the floor, where her father probably sat in the living room. Then she tapped her head.

Bella smirked. "He hears nothing." There was a huffing sound from downstairs as Edward voiced his indignation about being blocked, and Renesmee grinned. "So you had a good time?"

"We went to dinner, then to Navy Pier for the fireworks, then out to a movie since I wasn't supposed to be back before midnight."

Bella raised her eyebrows. "I like that you had to have an excuse to go sit in a dark movie theater."

Renesmee felt her face flush, and once again, her mother burst into giggles.

_a/n That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Again, that's not a first kiss. There's been action before. You'll see it eventually. Review, please! _

_Also, I'm still taking suggestions for firsts. And I'm keeping a list… Don't think I don't know who you are. "I've got a little list. I've got a little list!" … Anybody? Snaps if you get it._


	5. Job

_a/n My dog recently moved back in with us from my parent's, and he really seems to like Jake and Nessie. Or he likes to sit on my lap any time I'm in a seated or reclined position. I'd like to think both._

_**JOB**_

Jacob's mouth was latched on to her breast, and she moaned heavily when his hot tongue flicked over her. He was so amazing.

"Baby," he moaned, switching to her other breast.

Oh, he was so good. He slid between her legs. "Baby," he said again, and it sounded like he was smiling.

Just a little closer…

"Oh, yes," she moaned, loving the feel of his hands caressing her shoulders. "Oh, God, Jake."

"Honey?" He shook her shoulders. "Baby?"

Her eyes opened.

There was definitely a man between her legs. But there was a blanket that hadn't been between them before.

Oh, God…

Jacob smirked down at her. "Nice dream?"

Raising her hands to brace them against his chest, she gave a good push and knocked him off her and onto the floor. "Asshole."

He laughed from his position next to the bed. "Was that what I was doing?"

Renesmee rolled so she could peer over the edge at of the bed at him. "No. But clearly, something was on _your_ mind, as well," she retorted, nodding pointedly to the front of his boxers. "Nice tent, baby."

He was back on top of her, shoving her into the mattress. "Like it?" he asked, rolling his hips against her.

Her eyes rolled back in her head, but she suddenly remembered why Jacob had woken her up in the first place.

Today was her first day of work.

Downstairs, the front door opened and slammed closed. Renesmee rolled her eyes and shoved Jacob off of her. "You better move before my dad comes up and does it for you. You're not even supposed to be here."

He grinned. "Not a whole lot he can say about it. Not like he was any better."

"I," Edward declared from downstairs, "was not having _relations_ with her. I have much more respect for Charlie than that."

"Uh-huh." Jacob reached for his pants and pulled them on. "You wanna come over for dinner after work?"

"You come over here," she said, watching as he pulled on a clean shirt, one of several he kept in the drawer she'd cleared out for him. "My mom wants to make me a celebration dinner."

"Cool." Dressed except for shoes, he sat down next to her. His big hands cupped her cheeks, and he smiled at her. "Nervous?"

"Yeah." She frowned. "What if I totally slice somebody's face up? What if I kill somebody?"

"You're a dental hygienist," Jacob said, raising an eyebrow. "I think the worst you can do is inflict a lot of oral pain."

She laced her fingers through his, grinning. _I prefer oral pleasure,_ she responded silently. He groaned and pulled her lips up to his.

Downstairs, there was a loud crash as a pan made violent contact with the stove.

Jacob pulled away, grinning. "I better head out," he whispered. "Before he breaks something. Have a good day, and call me when you get done."

"I love you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him.

"I love you, too, babe," he whispered back. He pressed his lips to the crown of her head. "Careful driving in. It's raining."

She didn't chide him about his worrying. He'd been like this since his dad had died. She had a strong suspicion that part of the reason her father put up with Jacob's constant presence in his house was because he knew what Jacob was going through. Maybe knew more than Renesmee, and sometimes, that bugged her.

For now, she didn't dwell on it and pulled on his neck so he would come down for another kiss, this one a bit more lingering. "Have a good day," she said, smiling softly.

"You too, baby." Then he was out the window, and there was the sound of his car starting out front.

Renesmee dove back under the covers, searching for her pajama bottoms. She found them wedged near her shirt at the foot of her bed, and hastily pulled them on before tumbling out of bed. She located her robe and pulled it on before making her way downstairs. As she passed the grandfather clock in the hall, she grimaced. A quarter after six. Ew.

Not speaking, Renesmee sat down at the island, holding out her hands.

_Please? _She pictured a steaming cup of coffee being handed to her by her father. She noted that her thought version of her dad wasn't smiling, but scowling.

Her father put a cup of coffee in front of her. She looked up at him, and he had an eyebrow raised. "Why am I frowning?"

Renesmee took a sip of her coffee, giving him an honest answer. _Jacob makes you frown. I get it. We'll be quiet in the morning._

"Quiet has nothing to do with it," he muttered, turning away from her to continue on her breakfast.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "Where's mom?"

"Still at Esme's." She could hear the frown deepen. "Made me come back by myself."

"Sorry I'm such a burden," Renesmee said, her eyes boring into his back.

"That was rude," he said bluntly, throwing egg shells into the garbage with a little more force than necessary.

"Called for," she shot back. She took a sip of her coffee and smiled. _I love our little verbal sparing matches in the mornings. Coffee's good today, by the way. Thanks._

Edward chuckled, then sighed. "I just can't believe you're going to _work_."

"I had to go sometime, daddy," Renesmee said seriously.

"Most parents are putting their kids on the bus for elementary school when the kid's your age," he said. "I'm putting you behind the wheel and sending you to work."

"You're putting me behind the wheel of a Volvo, daddy." She glared. "A Volvo. I wanted the Jag."

"You know Jacob's building you one already," he said. "And for every death trap, I need to reinforce your safety. Besides, it's barely a Volvo."

"The fact that it's a convertible doesn't take away from the other fact that it is a Volvo, daddy." She sipped her coffee. _I don't drive your old man cars._

He scoffed. "They're not old man cars," he said, turning her eggs in the pan and flipping the bacon in another. "I picked up your mother in a Volvo."

"Yes, but haven't we established that mother is an old soul, therefore compatible with your old man behaviors?"

"I do not have old man behaviors."

"Save the women and children." Sip of coffee. _Protect us from unwanted television ads._

"Hush," he said, and he put a plate in front of her. "Eat up. You're going to need it for today."

The front door opened and her mother breezed through the door. "Hello, darling," she said, kissing the top of Renesmee's head. "Sleep well?"

"Mmm-hmm," she mumbled around a mouthful of eggs.

"Ready for your first day of work?" Her voice was unnaturally high, even for a vampire.

"Mom?" Renesemee set down her fork. "Are you ready for my first day of work?"

"Of course!" she cried, and she set about cleaning up the pans from her breakfast. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Renesmee locked eyes with her father. He raised his eyebrows, and she, hers, thinking, _She's going to be a mess all day today._

Edward nodded minutely, then turned around to deal with his wife. "Honey? Put the pans down. I'll clean them up."

"Can't I even clean up breakfast?" she screeched, and Renesmee actually jumped a little. "Doesn't anyone need me anymore?"

Renesmee returned to her breakfast, letting her father consol her mother, patting her on the back and explaining that yes, they did still need her, they just didn't need her to destroy a pan to prove that. Bella pouted, but let her husband finish the clean up.

"You want my plate, mama?" Renesmee asked when she finished. She held it out. "Help me, mama. Please? Mommy, help." She jutted her bottom lip out in a pout.

Bella burst out laughing and took the plate from her daughter. "I love you, baby girl."

Renesmee smiled happily, feeling a little like a seven year old, when her mother dropped a kiss on top of her head before making her way over to the sink. "I know," she said, tossing her hair. "I'm going to go take my awesome self upstairs and take a shower."

The next hour went away pretty quickly, and soon, it was time for her to leave. She half expected her mother to hold her hand and walk her out to the car, then hand her her bag and tell her to be nice to the other kids and make friends.

Instead, she stood next to her husband at the front door, clutching his hand tightly and waving.

As she pulled into the hospital's annex complex, she waved at Carlisle as he drove by on his way to the main hospital. He grinned and mouthed, _Nice car._

Still teasing her about her old man car.

She flipped him off, and he peeled out at a stop sign, driving his Mercedes manically to his parking spot.

She was grateful to see him, though. It was nice to know that, if something horrible happened, he was just a few minutes away. He'd gotten her this job, and she was excited to be going to work in her blue scrubs and Crocs.

Pulling into the parking lot of the little dental office, Renesmee shut off the Volvo and took a deep breath. She knew how to do this—had shown brightly in her clinicals after she'd passed the classes at an accelerated rate. She could totally do this.

Walking inside, her senses were assailed with the scent of antibacterial and sanitation solutions that were as comforting to her now as the scent of Jacob's oversized t-shirts. Her phone buzzed then, and she pulled it out. She had a text from Jacob.

_Love you. You'll do great today._

She smiled, responded back with a quick "Love you too," and got to work.

The day flew by. She was introduced to all the staff by the receptionist before being dropped off with Dr. Andrea Steele, who smiled brightly when she saw her.

"Vanessa Cullen, right?" Dr. Steele beamed. "Carlisle's told me a lot about you. Says you're very bright—maybe on your way to bigger and better things in a few years?"

"Maybe," she said, still tripping over being called _Vanessa_. "I kind of want a break from school. You know, just to see what it's like."

Dr. Steele laughed and took her to an exam room. She showed her where all her instruments and supplies were located, added that her door was always open, and to ask if she had any questions.

Then, the patients started, and she went from room to room, cleaning and making conversation. She felt comfortable. It was effortless, just like her grandfather had told her it would be. She had the photographic memory of a vampire—the perfect, total recall. Her hands moved confidently and surely, inflicting no pain beyond the initial _prick_ of the occasional anesthetic.

At lunch, she met up in the cafeteria with Carlisle to talk about her day. It was strange to see him like this, in a way she hadn't seen very often. At home, he was her gentle grandfather, loving and teasing. Here, he was an astute physician, sharp as a shard of freshly broken glass, and charming as could be. She could see how his patients would feel relaxed around him, not feeling any of the danger instincts their kind often triggered unintentionally.

She also got to see a rarity, and she sent a picture of him in scrubs to Esme. She then sent him a text in return that made him splutter.

The afternoon flew as well, and before she knew it, she was finished. Day one, the worst day, over, without anything going wrong.

She made the mistake of thinking this very thought on the way to her car.

It was still drizzling, and Renesmee climbed into the annoying Volvo her father had forced her to drive, turned it on, and let the heat blast. She left the car in park, taking out her phone to text Jacob. She was going to stop by the garage on the way home to tell him about her day.

And it was while she was parked, immobile and seemingly perfectly safe, that Dr. Steele's BMW smashed into the back of the Volvo.

The rain had been turning slowly to ice, and Dr. Steele had backed out of her parking spot a bit too quickly, slamming on the brakes and hitting a bit of sleet on the pavement.

So instead of her going to him, Jacob came to her. In a tow truck. He took both cars to the garage, Dr. Steele apologizing the entire way.

"I just couldn't get it to stop," she said, her face lined with stress. "I was so worried—it just smashed your car so hard. You're lucky you drive a Volvo—it's a very safe car."

The shock of the situation had finally worn off, and Renesmee burst out laughing. "My dad's never going to let me live this down," she weezed. "He made me get that damn car!" Her laughter took on a hysterical edge. When she saw Dr. Steele's shocked look, she managed to explain, "You've either got to laugh or cry. And I can't stop…" She giggled hysterically. "I can't stop laughing!"

By the time they arrived at the garage, Dr. Steele had "Vanessa's" phone number, and vice versa. Dr. Steele was happy to find that her new hygienist had a love for shoe shopping and a credit card to allow it. They made lunch plans for the following day before Andy, as she liked to be called, climbed into her husband's Mercedes and was gone.

"Nice lady," Jacob said, lowering the BMW off the truck. "She's your boss?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I have a feeling she and I are going to get along quiet well."

Ten minutes later, the teasing dynamic between them had dissipated, and he was frowning at the back end of her car.

"If you love me, you'll tell me it's totaled so daddy has to buy me a new one." She scrunched up her nose. "I hate the old man car."

"I hate to say it, baby, but the old man car actually held up really well," he said. "Not much damage at all. Needs a new bumper, maybe need to patch a little paint and pop a dent or two." He scratched something down on a clipboard and gave her a stern look. "I'm glad you were in a safe car."

"Yeah, because I really needed the airbag to go off," she said, rolling her eyes.

He just shook his head and kept writing.

She knew he worried about her safety. She thought it silly—she was indestructible—but she was just as guilty as he was. When he'd first taken her cliff diving, she'd fretted over whether or not he'd live, and he'd laughed and mussed her hair. When he went out to the racetrack, she worried that today would be the day he hit concrete just right and his head would split open, even though she'd once seen him roll over and over and jump up, perfectly fine.

She just couldn't imagine getting taken out by a car, of all things.

It was getting closer by the day to the anniversary of Billy's death. It would be one year in March. One year he'd spent without her father, who had been taken out by his own body. A lot had happened in that year, not the least of which was the constant pushing back of any wedding plans. He'd only just gotten around to buying her a ring two months ago. It hadn't bothered her. He'd been a wreck, fearing that someone else would go soon, constantly worrying over everyone's health.

Of course he worried. _Of course, silly._ And could she blame him? Could she imagine a life where her father didn't exist?

She hoped she never had to.

"Baby?" Jacob had lowered the clipboard and was standing in front of her. She didn't realize there were tears in her eyes. "Honey, what's wrong?"

No one was in the shop with them, so she pressed her hands to his face. He grimaced, but wrapped his thick arms around her. He stroked her hair while silent tears tracked down her porcelain cheeks and she leaned into his warmth.

His voice was soft when he spoke again, but it still rumbled under her cheek. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm fine," she said quietly. She smiled at him. "Long day, I guess."

He wrapped up at work early so he could take her home for dinner.

"So how was your first day?" he asked when she climbed in the passenger seat of his newly restored Camaro.

"Aside from getting accidentally rear ended by my boss?" she asked, and he laughed. She grinned. "Actually, it was pretty good."

"Didn't kill anybody?"

She giggled. "No."

"Good." Reaching over, he laced his fingers through hers. "Missed you."

"Missed you, too," she said, gazing over at him. "Thanks for the text."

He kissed her fingers. "You're welcome." He sucked one of her fingertips into her mouth and suckled. She felt her eyes roll back in her head as his tongue flicked the tip of her finger, and he chuckled. He let their hands drop, and she pouted. "Don't get too carried away, kid," he said, grinning. "Your dad's already pissed at me for this morning." He chuckled. "Probably last night, too. I don't know if they got out the door fast enough."

"Whatever. He can deal with it."

She frowned as she recalled the conversation she'd had a few months ago with her father.

_Renesmee let her suitcase drop to the floor of her new bedroom. She wasn't really surprised to find herself coming home to an empty house. Her father was probably furious, and her mother would be working to calm him down. She didn't blame him for a moment. Mid move, from Forks to Seattle, Renesmee had decided that Jake needed a vacation._

_Her father had had a conniption. She'd fully expected to be struck by lightning._

_Now, she was home, and things were different. She wondered if she should text her mother to warm her that her father wasn't going to be happy._

_There ended up not being time, because the front door had opened._

_She cringed when it slammed shut and her mother's voice could be heard, chastising her husband._

_After seven years, Renesmee had figured out her father's fear tactics, and wasn't generally bothered by them. This time, however, a line may have been crossed._

_Edward's feet pounded each step on his way upstairs, a growl rumbling in his throat. He'd stopped outside her door, and Renesmee glanced up from her suitcase when he burst in without knocking._

"_What is the _matter_ with you?" he shrieked. She winced, wondering if it were possible for her eardrums to burst. "Do you have any idea how worried your mother has been?"_

_Renesmee continued to unpack. "I'm sorry, daddy," she said simply._

_Edward stood in the doorframe, a strange expression on his face. "'I'm sorry, daddy?'" he quoted. "You're not going to argue with me?"_

"_Not this time." She made her way to the closet to hang up a few shirts. "It's not worth it."_

"_You leave for two weeks to go driving around the country with a boy, and no chaperones, come back, and have the nerve to act like nothing has happened," he spat._

"_What's the big deal?" She stalked out of the closet to face him, feeling her face flush. "I called you guys to tell you where I was going. And it wasn't like it was just some boy—it was Jacob."_

"_Without any warning!" Edward cried. "You saw a sign on the highway and decided to take it to see where it would go!" He ran his hands over his face, and she glimpsed just for a moment how weary he was. "In the middle of the day, when I couldn't go look for you."_

"_I'm sorry," she said, shrugging._

"_Not enough," Bella said suddenly._

_Renesmee looked out into the hall and noticed her mother on the landing. Her arms were crossed, and her face was hard. Her eyes were wide and bright. "What?"_

"'_I'm sorry,' is not enough," she said. "An apologize and a shrug are not enough!"_

"_You ran away once," Renesmee said, trying to defend herself._

_It was a bad idea. "Yes, I did. And it was a matter of life and death which I was grounded for later!" Bella threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know what's wrong with you! I mean, did I just give you too much freedom? What? Why didn't you think before you did this?"_

_Renesmee stared at the ground, feeling her eyes prick with tears as her mother ripped her a new one. Her father's raging she could handle, because it was just like hers. Her mother's, however, was another story._

_She hadn't meant for this to happen. Hadn't meant to upset them like this. Honestly, she'd figured they would understand. But she'd misunderstood them, and now…_

_Her quiet tears turned into sobbing, and in one of those moments where she just forgot where she was, she forgot that her father could read minds._

_She didn't hear her mother stop talking, didn't hear them whispering over her head. All she could hear was the horrible sounds coming from her own mouth. Painful sobs exploded from her, and she felt her father's cool arms lift her up._

_Later, when she'd calmed down, there were lots of apologies and a few more tears, this time of happiness, when her father had nudged her to tell her mother her news._

_While Bella had gazed in shock at the ring on her daughter's finger, Renesmee had debated with her father the benefits and disadvantages of having Jacob stay over more._

"_How did we go from grounding you to letting the dog in at night?" he muttered._

_Renesmee had giggled. "Please, daddy?" She pouted. "You used to sneak into mom's window at night! You can't tell me no. Please?"_

_Edward had run a hand over his face, and Bella had surprised both of them by pouting up at him, too. "Jake's not so bad," she said, doing her best to match her daughter's face. "And we can leave at night." Her pout turned to a smirk. "We can go hunting and I can do really nasty things to you without her hearing."_

"_Ew!" Renesmee snatched her hand back. "Mother!"_

_Edward grinned. "That actually sounds like a good idea."_

"_Hello!" Renesmee waved her hands in the air. "I can hear you!"_

_Bella raised her eyebrows. "You didn't come from a stork, you know," she said._

_Edward sighed. "I just don't want to hear it," he said, grimacing. "And I don't want to know anything about it. So please try to restrain yourself."_

"You're lucky my mom loves you," Renesmee pointed out.

"Well, I can kind of see his point," Jacob said, responding to her. "I don't know how I'd feel if we had a daughter and her boyfriend slept over."

"Except that I'm not a normal girl, and you're not a normal kind of boyfriend," she said. "We're special."

"You know, I'm not even your boyfriend anymore," he said, grinning, and he lifted her hand again to kiss the ring he'd put there two months ago, finally making their engagement-to-be-engaged an official engagement.

"Yeah, so see?" She grinned. "Sex is inevitable. He just has to deal with that."

Jacob parked the Camaro on the street and they climbed out. He was there to hold her hand, because the one protection they all agreed on was protection from her own clumsiness. And ice was a clear danger.

"You know," he said, staring down at her as he held her hand on the way up to the house, "you look kind of sexy in those scrubs."

"Yeah?" Renesmee climbed the stairs just a bit ahead of him and shimmied her butt for him. "Think so?"

"Yep." He gave her butt a swat and reached ahead of her to open the door.

Her mother made enough food for a small army, which was just as well, since Jake was eating over, as well. While they ate, Renesmee recounted the events of the day to her parents. Edward gloated over the accident, pleased with the performance of her car and that she was perfectly safe.

"So it just needs a new bumper?" he'd confirmed.

"Yep. Shouldn't be more than a few days until it comes in, then I'll get it put on and she'll be all set."

Renesmee frowned. "What do I drive in the meantime?"

All three of them stared at her in amazement.

"Well, it's tricky," she explained. "I mean, I'd love to take the Mustang, but it's just such a big car. I guess I could take the Porche, but it's not very inconspicuous, and before you say anything dad," she said, holding up a hand to stop whatever he was about to say, "I am _not_ taking your car. It's ugly as fuck."

"It is not!" he said, shocked at her language.

"Ugly as fuck," she repeated. She grinned. _Grandpa agrees with me._

"So what are you going to drive?" Edward grumbled. There was silence for a moment, and then he smiled. "Jake has a good idea."

"What?" Renesmee looked over at where Jake was diving into his food again. He looked up at Edward, motioned with his fork, and continued eating.

Edward burst into laughter. "He says the food's too good to stop, so to tell you that you can use his truck since he's got the Camaro now."

"That's probably not a bad idea," Bella said, nodding.

Jake's truck, a sturdy Chevy S-10, was perfect for the slick weather. He liked it because it was safe for her, with four wheel drive she could engage in the snow. She liked it because it made her feel tall.

Later, after her parents had left for their nightly mating ritual in the woods, Renesmee lay in her big bed with Jacob, her head pillowed on his broad chest.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Renesmee smiled, flattening her palm against his chest. _That's a question. Do you mean another question?_

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Ha ha," he said. "Are you really sure that working is what you want to do right now?"

She blinked, not really knowing how to respond. Her hand was still touching him, so he saw the confusion and resentment.

"I meant that you don't have to work. You're financially stable without it."

"I know." Pulling her hand away from him, she rolled over onto her back. "I just feel like because I can so easily, I should. Like it's my contribution to the family or something. And I like it," she added. "It keeps me busy while _you're_ at work."

He frowned slightly. "Do you wish I didn't work?"

"No!" She quickly rolled back to her previous position, resting both hands against this time. She was desperate to see why she wanted him to work. Certainly, it would be nice to have him in her bed all day, but that wasn't productive. Jacob was productive. He needed to work, and he had a job he enjoyed and was very good at. He owned two shops back west.

When she refocused her eyes on him, his were black and slightly glazed over. "So you'd like to have me in your bed all day, huh?"

Her giggles came from her mouth before she could stop him. "You are such a guy."

"And you're still naked and picturing really dirty things," he said, reaching up on his way down to tap her forehead.

Giggles turned to sighs, which quickly gave way to moans. In no time, he was ready for another round, and she bit her lip when he pressed his hips to hers, settling himself deep inside her. He held still for just a moment, and she wiggled a bit under him after a moment. The motion made him let loose a deep groan of pleasure, and his reared back to slam into her over and over.

With no control over anything that was coming out of her mouth, Renesmee could hear herself whining and screaming with pleasure. He'd told her once he loved it when she made noise, and since then, she'd never once held herself back from telling him how good he made her feel.

Thirty minutes later, Jacob was lying on his back gasping for breath. Renesmee giggled as she stared up at him, her chin propped on his defined chest. "Good, baby?" she asked.

Jacob burst out laughing. "Holy shit," he said, still laughing. "Now I know why I got you."

"I think you would have fucked anyone else in half," she replied, beaming.

"And I think if I were anybody else, I'd have had a heart attack and died," he replied. "That kind of exertion should kill a person."

"Not you, though," she purred, twining her fingers in his hair, which was growing out from a buzz he'd recently subjected himself to. "You're my big, strong man."

"Oh, honey, don't you talk with the sweet talk." He laughed again. "Seriously. We both have to work tomorrow."

Renesmee groaned and rolled off his chest and onto her side, pulling him with her. "I don't wanna get out of bed already," she mumbled, and he chortled deeply, his lips at the back of her neck.

"Me, neither," he said. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

"Keys for the truck are on the end table by the door," he muttered, already starting to doze off.

"Thanks," she whispered.

It was strange to feel like an adult at just over seven years old, but no stranger than looking like she was around twenty-three. But strange or not, she liked it.

_a/n These things just keep getting longer and longer… I thought about stopping after the ninth page, but couldn't do it without a squirt of lime juice. The lemonade will be along later. REVIEW!_

_As for how I'm keeping this all in order, I have a notated timeline. Yeah. I'm a nerd. Former English minor. Can't help it. As for the dog, he's humping a blanket right now. No joke. Flawless timing._


	6. Birthday

_a/n We may hit a double first sometimes, so see if you can figure out the double in this chapter. Should be pretty clear… I hope._

_Enjoy!_

_**BIRTHDAY**_

The whole house was covered in balloons, streamers, and a whole mess of party goods. It was like the party supply outlet had vomited all over Bella and Edward's living room. Upon entering the house, Jacob hadn't been able to make up his mind as to how he felt about it. Bella had descended the stairs and made up his mind for him.

"I said low key, and she shows up with every party item she can find," Bella growled, looking around.

"When's Charlie getting here?"

Bella plopped onto the loveseat and stared balefully up at him. "Soon," she said. "He called and said they were heading out a bit ago."

Jacob grinned. "Excited?"

"For her, yes. For me, no." She scrunched up her face. "I don't have birthdays anymore."

"It's your one year, Bella," Alice said, breezing into the room with a bowl of mixed nuts. "You just have to celebrate this one, then no more." Outside, a car pulled to a stop in front of the house and several doors opened and closed.

"Alice, it's just too much," Bella said, sounding as if she were trying to stay calm. "It's the first time everybody's seen the house, and I'd kind of like them to be able to see what it looks like without party décor covering every surface."

"I don't think it's too much," Alice said, frowning at Jacob. "I wish you weren't here. I can't see right."

"Sorry, Shorty," he said, shrugging and taking a handful of nuts.

There was a knock, then the door opened.

"Here I was worried I wouldn't find the place," Tanya said, glancing over the rims of her sunglasses. "Should have known better." She smiled at Alice, raising an eyebrow. "Shop much?"

Alice let out a huff and went about taking down some of the decorations. "Fine," she muttered. "She's only going to have one first birthday."

Tanya blinked and removed her glasses. She looked at Bella in slight shock. "What did I say?"

Bella shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Five minutes later, the living room looked more along the lines of a normal one year old's birthday party. There was a bit of commotion from upstairs, and then Nessie came racing down the stairs, giggling hysterically as she hid behind Jacob's legs. She looked every part a five year old in her party dress, her hair wild.

Edward came slowly down the stairs, watching her closely through eyes that were slightly narrowed. In one hand, he held a ribbon that matched Nessie's pink dress, and his other hand was held out, open, in front of him.

"Come on, sweetheart," he said, and his voice was pleading. "I know you think it's funny, but you need to finish getting ready."

Then, with no warning, he dodged Jacob and tackled his squealing daughter.

Somehow, she managed to slip out of his arms. Shrieking with laughter, she made her way to her mother.

"Bad idea," Bella said, laughing, as she grabbed her squirming daughter and held her in place while Edward tied back her long ringlets. When he was finished, Bella sat her on her feet. "There. Now you look perfect."

Nessie reached up, holding out her hands, but Bella raised hers over her head. "Nope," she said. Not ready to give up without a fight, Nessie climbed up her mother's body, but Bella picked her off and held her away from any exposed skin. "No," she said, frowning. "You need to get used to talking." She set Nessie back on the floor.

Renesmee stomped her little foot and glared up at her mother. Unsatisfied, she turned to her father, but he just shrugged.

"Can't hear you, darling, I'm sorry."

Her little face scrunched up, and Jacob felt his muscles tense. He hated seeing her upset. It was hard for him not to pick her up and coddle her, but he knew she had to get used to talking if she was ever going to acclimate to the human world she so desperately wanted to know.

As if she were the mind reader and knew what he was already thinking, she turned to look at him. Her big brown eyes were wide and her bottom lip was jutting out. She held up her hands, and Jacob forced himself to take a step back. The longer she stared at him, the more his muscles quivered, demanding his forward movement. Edward could hear the turmoil in his brain, and rolled his eyes when Jacob suddenly reached down to snatch her up.

"You tried," he muttered, heaving a sigh.

_Why won't mama talk to me?_ Renesmee's big brown eyes were troubled.

"Because you can't talk to humans like that, kid," he explained. "She just wants you to get used to talking out loud, like we do."

_People don't have to talk out loud to Daddy,_ she argued. She showed him a picture of Edward and Carlisle discussing some medical journal. Edward was keeping pace with Carlisle's thoughts, and the pair of them were bouncing ideas and theories back and forth with Edward doing all the talking.

"That's different," he said. "Carlisle's a vampire. He can't do that with humans. Have you ever seen him do that even with Charlie?"

Renesmee frowned, and images and ideas flipped through her mind while she tried to decide how best to argue her case. Then she grinned. She showed a picture of Emily, just a few months ago when they'd still been in Washington, just before moving to Minnesota. Emily's face was contorted with pain and Edward was asking her questions—questions she answered with her thoughts.

"That's different, too," Jacob said, rolling his eyes. "Emily knows everything, and she was in a lot of pain. You can't win in this one, you know," he added. "You may think you know how to argue, but you have a lot to learn."

She showed him her response and he laughed.

"What?" Bella glanced over from where she was rearranging the refreshment table. "What's funny?"

Jacob grinned. "Tell her, kid."

"The only person who can out argue me is Mommy," Renesmee said in her high, clear voice.

Bella burst out laughing.

Edward frowned. "I can argue, too," he said, defending himself.

"Yes, but daddy, sometimes you just give me what I want." Renesmee actually smirked at him.

"Hey, I got that thing in your hair."

"Mommy had to help you."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "I would have caught you eventually."

"By then it wouldn't have mattered, daddy." She batted her eyelashes.

Edward blinked and stared at his daughter in apparent shock. He turned to his wife. "I'm not a pushover, am I?"

From her chair, a choked laugh bubbled out of Tanya's lips before she could stop it. She exchanged a look with Bella, and both of them burst into hysterics.

His face took on a hurt expression and he turned his sad face on his daughter. "See? You made me sad." He stepped closer, standing face to face with her. "Look. Sad face."

Renesmee put her little hands on his cheeks and leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose. "I love you, daddy," she said, smiling brightly.

Jacob knew the look in Edward's eyes, and handed his daughter to him. Edward took her willingly and cradled her in his arms, blowing raspberries on her neck. She shrieked with laughter.

A smile crossed Jacob's face as he thought of the point she'd left out that he'd seen—no matter what, she could always count on Jacob to give her what she needed.

He saw Edward grimace a little when he heard this, and he shrugged apologetically. Edward knew better than anyone how hard he tried to resist giving into her every whim. Sometimes, he could talk her out of wanting something, but when that failed, he turned into putty in her tiny hands.

Renesmee's first birthday party went off without a hitch. Charlie and Sue drove in from their comfy bed and breakfast, and Charlie gave his approval of the house. Seth was there, ready for a hug from his favorite niece. Tanya had driven down with Carmen and Eleazer to give Garrett and Kate a little time alone, and the three of them provided a nice change of pace to the rest of the family. Carlisle and Esme swapped stories with them, and he was sure a few of them would have made Esme blush if she could have. Rosalie and Tanya debated fashion trends with Alice, while Edward and Bella sat on a couch next to Emmett, Bella trying to dare her brother to eat a piece of cake.

All in all, a good night. Especially after everyone left and Emmett went into the woods to throw up the cake he'd eaten.

But a lot of those things would be inconsequential when he looked back on today, years from then.

"Come on, Bella," he whined. "It's only ten."

"And she needs to go to bed." Bella stood with her feet planted, arms crossed, and eyebrows raised.

"It's her birthday."

"Please, mommy?" Renesmee peered up at her mother from behind Jacob's legs. "Please? Just for a little bit?"

"Please, Bells?" he pleaded. "I promise I'll have her down by ten thirty, whether she likes it or not."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "Ten thirty," she said sternly. "Not a minute later." Her eyes twinkled. "But no earlier, either. It is your birthday." And she turned to go back inside, leaving Jacob on the porch with Nessie and her book.

"You gonna keep reading, or do you want me to?" he asked.

She seemed to consider this more seriously than was normal, but she said slowly, "I want you to read it." And she held out the book.

He took it without a second thought, and picked up where she'd left off when Bella had come outside to put her to bed. While he read, he could feel her brown eyes on him, disturbingly calculating and thoughtful. Too much for a little kid. It kind of freaked him out.

After about ten minutes of this, he sputtered to a stop when she suddenly cocked her head off to one side to peer at him more closely.

"What?"

Her head cocked a little further, her bronze ringlets falling all to one side. He could swear there was the hint of a smirk, and her eyes were burning with… something. She looked shockingly like a little vampire baby.

"Hey, creeper, what's up?" he asked, waving a hand in her face.

"Just thinking," she said, and her face relaxed. "How come you stopped reading?"

"Because you were staring at me like a creeper." He shook his head. "It was freaking me out."

"Why do you think I was staring at you?" she asked imploringly.

"I don't know," he said slowly. "Why were you staring at me?"

From upstairs, there was the echo of a dark chuckle. Edward. Whatever was on his daughter's mind, it amused him somehow, and that freaked him out a little more.

Was she about to pounce or something? Was she going to kill him?

"I wanted your attention," she said, her head straightening up. Her big eyes were wide and staring into his, like she was trying to see something.

"Okay, well, you got it." He shrugged. "All you had to do was ask."

"I'm thirsty," she said suddenly.

"For what?" Please say something harmless that he didn't have to go kill.

"Apple juice." She was still staring.

"Okay." So he darted inside and grabbed one of those tiny juice boxes out of the fridge and brought it to her. He even put the straw in for her. He wasn't quite sure what was going on in her head, but he'd kill to know.

She sipped her juice thoughtfully. After a few seconds, she set it down. "How come you went and got my juice for me?"

Jacob blinked. _What the hell?_ "Because you were thirsty," he said slowly.

"But I didn't even ask for it."

"You might have," he said. "And it's not like you were asking for something really hard to come by. It's just apple juice."

"But you always do that."

A frown pulled at his eyebrows. "So?"

She sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes and looking even more like her vampire father. "You always do whatever I want. Even if my parents say no, you always say yes. How come?" Her head cocked again.

There was another chuckle from upstairs, and Jacob understood. _Oh, wonderful. And I suppose you're going to leave me to explain this on my own._ There was no movement or response, so Jacob took it as an affirmative.

"Because…" He started to explain, but got stuck right away. How was he supposed to explain this? On one hand, she was a little kid who barely knew anything about life and the world as a whole, but who had a very good idea of what went on with a lot of things.

Her tiny world was a place where a stork was just a bird, married people spent time alone, and blood and killing were a dietary necessity.

She was too smart, sometimes, and said things too profound, to really make him think that anyone but Edward really knew what went on in her head.

There was yet another chuckle from upstairs again, and this time, Nessie's eyes narrowed. She glared at the house where she had heard the laugh, and there was a quiet, "Sorry, darling," from upstairs.

Renesmee looked up at Jacob again. "You didn't answer my question."

Jacob heaved a sigh and leaned forward so he was closer to her eye level. "You remember Claire." It wasn't a question, and she bobbed her head, smiling. "You know how Quil always takes care of Claire?" Another nod. "Well, Quil needs Claire to be happy so he can be happy." He stumbled a little over the words. "The first time he saw Claire, he knew he'd be really happy if he could do that."

Renesmee was frowning. "I know what imprinting is, Jacob," she said, looking and sounding a little insulted. He blinked, his mouth hanging open a little bit. She rolled her eyes again. "I heard daddy and grandpa talking about it once. It means Claire gets to grow up and marry Quil."

Blunt. Huh.

"Eventually, yeah, probably."

"But she doesn't have to, right?" Nessie's frown started to fade as the cogs in her little head turned. "Daddy said the imprint gets to make the choice."

"Right." Good God. _A heads up might have been nice, ass wipe,_ he thought venomously.

Renesmee stared at him, not saying anything, for another minute or so. Finally, she took a few slow steps toward him. Her little hands pressed to his face, and he saw the images that she didn't quite have the words for yet.

He watched her train of thought, commenting now and then when he thought it would help her sort through her thoughts. She was smart. She'd figure it out, with little hints here and there.

It took her a whole two minutes, and then it hit her like an atomic bomb.

The thought in her mind wasn't a question, but a statement accompanied by a barrage of images—her memories. _Imprint._

He nodded, unable to speak. What if it freaked her out?

As usual, she surprised him by hopping away from him. She sat down in front of him and stared at him again. This time, it wasn't long before she spoke.

"What if I told you to go away?" she asked quietly.

"If you told me that and meant it, I'd go away." He shuddered a little at the idea. It was in no way appealing.

She caught the small movement with her unnaturally sharp vision. "I won't," she promised, and her little voice was solemn.

He smiled weakly. "Thanks." He held out his arms. "I need a hug. Get up here."

She grinned and jumped back into his arms. She wrapped her little hands as far as they could reach and she took a deep breath. He cradled her, laughing when she burrowed into his arms. He watched as she fell asleep, slowly, fighting it the entire time.

Just like her age.

He still had a few years, he told himself. A few more years before she started getting even smarter and things changed. For right now, he could be her babysitter and personal heating pad. That was cool.

_a/n Hope you liked this one. Review!_


	7. Jealous

_a/n This is set a few months after "Death."_

_Ahem… steam ahoy. Steer clear if it offends you._

_**JEALOUS**_

The August sun was making itself known today, and according to Alice, it was going to keep it up all day.

So for a change, Renesmee forced Jacob into a pair of swim trunks that had once belonged to Emmett, and outside into the fresh air. It hadn't been easy.

* * *

Renesmee Cullen opened her eyes and heaved a sigh. She really hated it when this happened, but she was used to it by now. Didn't make it any better to listen to, but she knew how to handle it.

On her way down the hall to the kitchen for coffee, she pondered the volume at which her mother was currently turned up to. Jacob had made a comment about liking that Renesmee was a screamer—maybe that was where she got it.

She put it together with an image of Jacob fucking her particularly hard.

A split second later, she heard her mother's confused voice. "Edward? What happened?"

He groaned, and the sound was muffled as if by a pillow. "God damn it," he muttered, and Renesmee smirked.

_I will be discreet with my thoughts when you learn how to be discreet with my mother,_ she thought, glancing down the hall.

"Renesmee is awake," he finally mumbled by way of explanation.

There was the sound of a sharp smack and her father cried out in pain. "You're supposed to pay attention! It's seven already!"

"I'm sorry," he replied, and it sounded like they were getting dressed. Renesmee poured her coffee and sat down at the table. "I wasn't paying much attention to the time." There was a squeal and a moan, and Renesmee rolled her eyes and shot him a memory of Jacob. In the shower. Naked.

"Would you _please_ stop doing that?" Edward was out of the bedroom and standing opposite her at the table.

She glared up at her father, the jailer, as she called him sometimes. He winced at this last though.

_It's true. You sit there and say I can't leave the house to have sex with my boyfriend, and then turn around and keep me stuck in the house with you and mom all night. And it's not fair._

"It's different," Edward said, his eyebrows pulling together in a frown. "You know how I feel about…" He waved his hand in the air between them. "That."

"There's nothing you can do about it," she said, closing her eyes and trying to convey that she knew she still sounded bratty, but she was sincere. There was truly not a thing he could do. She'd already lost her virginity, and it wasn't coming back.

Edward heaved a sigh, his eyes closed and his face pained. Her mother chose that moment to enter. She was looking at her phone and nothing else.

"Alice says it's supposed to be sunny all day today," she said, not looking up.

Renesmee thought hopefully of the beach, but then sighed and slid her arms down the table. There was no way the jailer would let her out of the house when they couldn't supervise her.

"You know," Edward said suddenly, and his voice sounded hurt and furious at the same time, "I know I may seem like a bit of an asshole, but how would you feel if I just didn't care at all?" Renesmee blinked, her eyes widening as he opened his eyes and threw his hands to the sides. His wife looked up, startled, having no idea what the previous conversation had involved. "What if I just said yes to you all the time and let you do whatever you wanted? No matter the consequences, you can do whatever you want—is that what you want?" She winced. "Go to the beach. Go on, stay out all day." He started to stalk down the hall, but then he stopped and turned. "And don't worry about checking in. You're an _adult_," he said, and his voice sounded very strained. "You don't need to check in with your _jailer_."

He didn't turn around fast enough to hide the hurt look on his face. Bella still looked confused, but she nodded when Renemee tapped the side of her head, asking silently for privacy. Bella nodded, frowning slightly, and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

Renesmee dragged her feet back to her bedroom and went about gathering her things. If he thought she wasn't going out today, he was crazy. She smiled as she went through her closet, deciding to make a few concessions as a thank you to her father for letting her out of the house.

When she was ready a few minutes later, she made her way to her parent's bedroom. Everything was tidy and organized, as usual, and the bed was made. Sitting on the end of the bed, staring down at his shoes and wearing an old t-shirt advertising some band she'd never heard of, was her father, in all his moping seventeen year old glory. She stopped to stand in front of him, and he slowly looked up. A small smile crossed his face when he saw what she was wearing.

"I hate to admit it," she said, "but this is really cute. I just didn't want to wear it because you gave it to me."

It was a red swimsuit with white polka dots. It was one piece, which she and her mother had rolled their eyes over, and styled after a fifties look. And the longer it sat in her closet, the more she came across it, and the cuter it started to look. So today, to soothe his hurt feelings, she wore it with a gauzy white tie skirt that covered her up even more. And on top of all of it was a big white hat.

And, as desired, the more he stared, the more he chuckled. And his chuckles turned into laughs, which eventually dissolved into actual giggles.

Renesmee just grinned and rolled her eyes. He _would_ get a kick out of this.

She trekked out of the house, bag of books and music packed with a full picnic basket. Her dad was still chortling, but she'd given him a hug and promised to call if she was going to be out later into the evening. He'd agreed, told her to have fun, and to seer clear of the house. She'd shuddered and agreed, thanking him for the warning.

Jacob had been sleeping on the couch at Quil and Embry's when she'd found him an hour later. Quil let her in, gesturing wordlessly toward his friend, giving her a once over and a thumbs up, mouthing, _Nice._ She smacked the back of his head when she passed him.

Jacob's long arms and legs overflowed the couch, despite its size. His hair was a mess, and his mouth hung open. A small smile crossed her face as she set down her bag and took off the hat so that she could spread herself on top of him. He grunted in his sleep, and one of his big hands came to rest on her back, but she didn't think he was consciously aware of her yet. She shimmied up his long body to press a kiss to his lips.

That did it. Jacob Black came rumbling and grumbling to life, wrapping his arms around her and groaning. When he opened his eyes and saw what she was wearing, he laughed. "What's this?" he asked, running his fingers under the straps.

She sat up so she was straddling him, and grinned down at him. "It's going to be sunny all day," she said, grinning. "Get up and get dressed. We're going out." She glanced over Jacob's head to where Quil was picking up a few empty beer cans. "You should call Claire," she suggested. "I bet she'd love it."

Quil nodded and went upstairs to call Claire's mom.

Jacob heaved a sigh and flopped his hands down, and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I just don't feel like it," he muttered, and he closed his eyes again.

She heaved a sigh and climbed off of him, sitting down on the floor next to him instead. "Why?" she asked. "It's a beautiful day, it's going to be like this all day, and I want to go to the beach."

"Go with Quil and Claire," he said, not opening his eyes. "I don't want to."

"God, you don't want to do anything," she whined.

"I don't have trunks that fit."

"I brought you some."

"I don't want to borrow Emmett's swim trunks." Jacob frowned. "That's like borrowing a thong from a stripper."

"Why don't you want to go?" Renesmee glared up at him.

"I just don't want to go…" He trailed off, and he rubbed his face in his hands. "I don't want to see all the happy tourists. It sucks."

"You know, your dad would kick your ass right now if he were alive."

It was Embry. He stood in the doorway, holding two cups of steaming coffee and wearing a scowl. Jacob opened his eyes, and Renesmee smiled gratefully up at Embry. It hurt her a little that he wouldn't listen to her right now, but she was grateful he had friends who weren't afraid to make him angry.

"Now get the fuck off my couch before you ruin it," he said, handing the coffee to his friend. "I love you, man, but this couch cost two grand."

"Embry, are you _sure_ you're not gay?" Jacob raised his eyebrows. "I mean, this is designer coffee, and you worry about shit like couches."

Embry scowled more deeply and stalked over to Renesmee's bag. On top were Emmett's trunks, a pair he'd never actually worn, and Embry pulled them out and flung them at Jacob's face.

"Ew!" Jacob flung them back and he and Embry played hot potato for a few tosses before Nessie reached up and snatched them out of the air.

"He never wore these," Renesmee said, handing them to Jacob. "I'm not that mean. I wouldn't touch most of Emmett's laundry with a ten foot pole, let alone anything that's ever touched his junk."

So finally, under pressure from his pouting girlfriend, possibly gay best friend, straight other friend and that friend's imprint, he _finally_ pulled on the trunks and trudged out to the car.

* * *

Renesmee lay on her blanket next to Jacob, her head next to his knees while she watched Quil throw Claire into the waves over and over. She squealed with delight with every toss, washing back into his strong hands ever time. She felt a little stab of jealousy, and glared back at Jacob. He was out, but his mind was elsewhere. He wore trunks and no shirt, so his broad, tanned chest was on display for her, but his eyes, one of her favorite of his many beautiful features, were hidden behind dark aviators.

"Are you going to swim at all?" she asked, rolling over and propping herself up on her hands.

He shrugged. She was starting to regret bringing him, thinking maybe just his friends and Claire may have been company enough.

"Mind if I do?" she asked, jerking her head toward his friends.

"That's fine," he said, reclining a little more.

She stared at him for a moment, then got to her feet, abandoned the hat, and stalked down the beach toward Quil. He saw her coming, and frowned as he tossed Claire out again. "You okay?" he asked.

"Jake's being a lame ass," she muttered. "I'm just going to ignore him."

"Nessie!" Claire came struggling back toward them. "Will you throw me next?"

"With pleasure, my friend," she said, grinning, and she reached down to grab Claire's ankles, grinning up at Quil. "You grab her wrists," she said, beaming.

Claire squealed with delight as the two of the swung her over the waves, mocking the intent to let her go flying, then bringing her back down before finally launching her fifteen feet in the other direction. She came up, laughing. "Do it again!" she said excitedly.

Twenty minutes later, Quil declared himself hungry.

"I brought food," Nessie said, glancing up toward Jacob. She was about to give Quil the list when she locked eyes on a woman.

She wasn't nearly as attractive as Renesmee, which wasn't vanity—just a fact. She had brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and she was talking to Jacob with her hands bracing her back a little so she could jut her small chest out. She looked to be in her early or mid twenties, and Renesmee wondered if she knew him. Jacob was laughing at something she was saying. Furious that this woman had made him laugh, Renesmee stalked away from Quil and Claire, seeing red, up the beach to Jacob.

"And I was just kind of like, well, whatever, Seattle's overrated, so I just decided to stay home with my parents for a while," she was saying as Renesmee walked up behind her. "And, like, whatever, you know?" God, her voice was so annoying. Nasal.

Renesmee wasn't sure if the woman had heard her walking up, or just felt daggers shooting into the back of her head, but she turned. She had blue eyes and an okay face. She wasn't what Renesmee would consider really attractive, just generic.

"Can I help you with something?" she spat at the woman.

The woman blinked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

"Can I help you with something." She rephrased it as a statement. Maybe she'd clue in to fuck off. She could feel her lips curling back from her teeth, and her eyes widening. Her dad always laughed when she was like this, saying it was like she was puffing herself up.

Nope, too stupid. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met," she said, wrinkling her nose like she'd smelled something sour. There was a hint, though, of some fear in her eyes. Good.

"No, we haven't," she said, glaring. She clicked a gear in her brain, the one that was always triggered in Forks. Never Cullen. "I'm Vanessa Masen," she spat. "I'm his girlfriend. Can I help you with anything?" Her teeth were clenched.

The woman's eyes widened and she held up her hands. "Jeeze, sorry," she said, stepping back a bit. "I'll see you later, Jacob," she said, smiling at him once more and waving. "Call me if you get bored with psycho here." Then she turned, and was gone, walking quickly up the beach toward another woman.

Renesmee stood with her jaw hanging open. Behind her, Quil and Clarie were coming closer, their footsteps slow and cautious.

Jacob was frowning. "What's the matter with you?" he asked.

"Who was that?" she asked, pointing at the woman's retreating back. She had walked down the beach and was pointing at them, laughing, with another girl.

Jacob's frown deepened. "I don't remember her name," he said, shaking his head. "Jennifer, maybe? I don't know." He raised his eyebrows. "What's the matter?"

"Jennifer is a little fresh," Renesmee said, plopping down next to him. She glanced at Claire with a raised eyebrow. "Avert your eyes, kid," she said, and Claire turned and took off running down the beach.

Making sure the nasal bitch's eyes were on her, Renesmee climbed on top of Jacob and pressed her lips to his. He groaned a little when she forced him back so that he was completely on his back again. When her hands started to wander a little, he caught them in his.

"We're in public, honey, come on."

She huffed and sat up, still on top of him. "You suck," she said bluntly. "You laugh at whatever Jennifer says and I can't even get you to crack a smile." Now that the tirade had started, it wouldn't stop. "I mean, she can't help thinking you're hot—you'd have to be crazy not to think so. But she gets to stand there and flirt with you and you act all cute and funny and I can't even get you to have sex with me!" She grabbed his hands and put them on her chest. "Why won't you just have sex with me? It's not fair!"

"Jesus Christ," he muttered, taking off the sunglasses and tossing them to the side. He pulled his hands away, grabbing her wrists in the process. "Are you jealous of her?"

It was hard when she could see how full of lust his eyes were to give him an answer. All she wanted to do right now was climb on top of him and ride him until dawn. Instead, Renesmee yanked her hands back and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "No," she bit out in response.

Jacob grinned. "You're jealous."

"I am not."

"You are, too," he said, taking her hands again. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. He pulled her down to him, and cupped her head with his hand. "Why would you be jealous of her? I don't even know if Jennifer's her name." He frowned. "Actually, I don't think it is. That's the point, though," he said. "Next to you, I can't even remember those girls' names. I knew them in another lifetime when I was a different person. Besides," he said, kissing the tip of her nose, "you have nicer boobs and a superior ass." He let a hand slide down to grasp the ass in question, giving it a squeeze and grinning up at her.

She giggled despite herself and pressed her lips back to his, not thinking about the free show they were giving everyone with their wandering hands and somewhat compromising position. They stayed glued together for what felt like no time at all, no time meaning ten minutes, and too long for some on the beach. Renesmee pulled away when she heard Jacob's phone ring, and she frowned when she lifted it from the blanket. "It's Charlie," she said, handing it over.

He touched the screen to answer it. "Hey, Charlie, what's up?" There was a pause. "Yeah, why?" Another pause, and Jacob craned his neck to look over toward the flat chested, small assed wonder and her blonde friend. "No kidding." He raised his eyebrows at Nessie. "Maybe a little. She got mad at me." He grinned. "Okay. No problem. We'll take our party elsewhere," he said, chuckling. "Sorry, Charlie."

"What was that about?" she asked when he'd hung up.

"Charlie got a call from an anonymous tipper that Jacob Black was practically having sex with his girlfriend on the beach," he said, grinning. "He called to tell us to get a room or else he'd have to come arrest us."

Renesmee's jaw dropped. "Oh, my God," she whispered, and she felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Oh, my God, he's gonna tell my mom, and she's going to say something to my dad because she can't lie for shit and he's going to _kill_ me!" She buried her face in his chest. "Oh, my God," she mumbled.

Jacob picked her up. Quil, having heard the conversation, was coming back up the beach, grinning from ear to ear. Then, for everyone to hear, he yelled, "Busted!" Heads turned toward them, and Renesmee groaned.

"You can eat all the food," Jacob said, nodding toward the picnic basket. "We're taking off."

"Yeah, your clothes," he muttered, chuckling. "You guys just about gave some old guy down there a heart attack."

Somehow, she managed to redress herself and make it back to the car, passing the annoying woman and her friend, with her chin held high.

"You wanna run home and change?" Jacob asked, starting the engine.

"Ew, no," she said quickly. "I'm pretty sure my parents are enjoying having the house to themselves. I have some clothes at your house." She grinned. "Or, I can just wear this."

"My house is close," he said, his eyes focused on the road as he whipped around a turn and onto his street. "Let's go there."

She was a little shocked when he pulled into the driveway of his father's house and was around to her side of the car much too quickly. His lips attached to her neck, and she giggled.

"People might be looking," she whispered against his ear.

His response was not verbal. He carried her inside and in just a few strides, had made his way to the master bedroom. She knew for a fact that he hadn't been in here since Billy's death, but she kept that to herself for now. He was distracted for the moment, and he was already tugging at the tie of her skirt.

"You were so fucking hot," he muttered. "I might make you jealous more often."

If it meant kicking his sex drive into gear, she'd let him every day. His hands were everywhere, over the suit she still wore. She pulled away from his lips, putting a finger to his lips when he protested. "Just a sec," she said, grinning. She stood up, climbing down from the bed, and quickly stripped out of her suit.

He gave her no time to get back onto the bed. He was sitting up in the blink of an eye, pulling her toward him by her waist. "I like that suit," he said, mashing his lips against her breasts. It was hard, but she managed to keep her eyes open to watch him. "Nobody can see anything, but I know what's underneath and I'm the lucky bastard that gets to picture it."

"I wanted you," she moaned, her head falling back against her will. "I wanted to fuck you so badly."

"You didn't want to fuck me, baby," he growled, throwing her onto the bed roughly. Oh, yes please. "You wanted to claim me." He thrust his hips against her belly. "I wanted you to so bad."

"Do you still want me to?" She peered up at him out of hooded eyes, and he nodded.

Renesmee very seldom used her full strength on Jacob. Usually, it was an unintentional thing, a reaction to an action that may have startled her, or distracted her. Once, when she was a kid, she'd broken his leg when she'd grabbed him wrong in a wrestling match. She'd learned to control herself, and now, only used her strength with him when she hunted.

This was different. He was right. She didn't want to make love to him, or fuck him, or anything any human could understand. She wanted to claim him, to be the one controlling his pleasure and to use him for her own. And she wanted to remind him of why he was with her and not someone else.

So she wrapped her legs around his and spun them quickly, more quickly than he could. Before he had registered being on his back, she had slid down his body to rip his swim trunks from his body. He didn't seem to realize who was in charge as he tried to sit up to stop her, and she roughly shoved his shoulder back down. He was naked and prone in a matter of seconds, staring up at her in shock as she pinned his hands down with ease.

"When did you get stronger than me?" he asked, eyes wide.

She didn't answer him. It seemed that letting her strength ripple through her system triggered other needs, as well. Rosalie had told her about this, the need that all vampires felt at some point, just to be carnal. She had heard it numerous times, accidentally—growls and snarls and hisses that were a little frightening.

She felt her lips pull back from her teeth, and watched with satisfaction as his eyes grew heavy with lust as she hissed down at him. This was actually turning him on. His hips rocked up against her, and she pinned his thighs down with her shins. As suddenly as she decided to do it, she grabbed his hands in hers and brought them to her breasts. "Hard," she muttered when they latched onto her willingly.

He squeezed really hard and she was a little shocked at how amazing it felt. When she moaned her pleasure, he growled under her, and situated as she was on his stomach, it vibrated her entire body. She whimpered at the feeling, and rocked herself against him.

She seized his hands again and put them on the bed, at his sides. "Keep them there, until I tell you otherwise," she ordered. Then, with no other words or foreplay, she mounted him and dropped onto his body, hard.

She hissed at him again when his hands moved to grab her hips. She seized them, growling, and shoved them back down. She rode him hard, watching with a kind of animal pleasure as his face contorted with pleasure. Unable to stop herself, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his neck, whispering, "Touch me."

His hands went to her hips and he bucked up, hard, into her. A whine escaped his lips when her teeth sunk into his skin, his blood flooding her mouth and setting her off. She fell apart above him.

"Mine," she whispered, licking tenderly at the little bite marks that were already starting to heal. They lay that way for a few minutes while she caught her breath and he rubbed her back. After a few blissfully restful minutes, he shifted his body under hers, and she shuddered, feeling that he was ready again.

Exhausted from their first round, she willingly went to her hands and knees and let him take her, like she had taken him. He used her in a way he never had before, and feeling him shudder, hearing the growls, moans and shouts aroused her in a way she had never felt before.

He finally came, moaning her name, buried in her while she fell apart around him. She felt a lazy smile dance on her lips, and she fell to the bed with him still inside her.

"Love you," he whispered against her back. His breath was like fire on her overheated skin.

"I love you, too," she murmured back. Her eyelids fluttered, and she stared at the window, where the semi-sheer curtain was letting in some of the afternoon light. She smiled slightly. "Have we had afternoon sex before?" she asked.

Jacob laughed, and she shuddered at the feeling it sent through their still joined bodies. "I don't think so," he said, thrusting slightly. "But didn't you say you couldn't go home?"

"Nope." She grinned, wiggling her butt against him playfully. "And I said I'd call if I was going to be really late. So come on, buddy," she said, hopping off of him and laughing. "I'm hungry." She threw her pillow at him, and darted out the door. A second later, she heard him follow.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

It was past eleven when she climbed out of Jacob's car, giving him a last minute to kiss her. She would have liked very much to spend the night with him, would have enjoyed spending more time wrapped in his arms and being sent into orbit by his hands, lips, tongue, and everything else.

Instead, she kissed him goodbye before climbing, giggling, out of his Camaro.

She opened the door of the little house and stepped inside, aware that she wasn't dressed anything like she was when she'd left. She wore one of Jacob's huge wife beaters, tied and rolled to fit her, with a pair of drawstring shorts that had probably fit him in high school. He wouldn't let her shower, and she was certain she reeked of sex and Jacob as she nervously went down the hall to her bedroom.

A folded piece of paper was taped to her door, her name written in her father's elegant handwriting. She took it off and opened it. A simple message greeted her.

"Out for the night. Back tomorrow around noon. Love you, Dad"

It took two seconds to get her phone in hand and one more to dial Jacob's number. She giggled when, thirty seconds after that, she heard his car roaring into the drive.

And two hours later, when she was lying in her arms, she wondered aloud, "I wonder if these walls could talk, would they talk or would they scream?"

Jacob frowned, and she raised her eyebrows. She rested a hand on his chest, letting him into her world where her parents were perpetually horny teenagers.

His face scrunched up. "Oh, that's just nasty," he said, making a disgusted face.

"I know," she giggled. "But it's why I was so frustrated. I have to hear them go at it all the time, and it's annoying. They're like rabbits and I'm like a nun."

"Oh, you poor baby," he laughed, snuggling into her hair. "I love you, you know. And her name wasn't Jennifer."

"Huh?"

"The girl? Charlie said her name, and I was wrong." He grinned, having finally placed the woman. "She'd put on some weight, but she's still annoying. Her name's Jessica Stanley."

Renesmee felt a look of horror cross her face. "Oh, my God," she mumbled. "I'm going to catch shit for this soon."

"Oh, yeah," Jacob said, wrapping his arms around her. "But I'll back you up."

"You better." She grinned and kissed him again.

_a/n Hope you liked it! And to answer a question, how am I keeping track of all of this? Lots of rereading and notes on every chapter. It's why I'm a slow updater._

_And these shots keep getting longer and longer. But, unlike alcohol shots, the more one shots you have, the happier you are and the better your tummy feels. In that vane, please leave any ideas you have for firsts. I have quite a few already, but I keep getting ones I didn't think of. I don't think jealous was my idea, actually, now that I think about it… That's what I get for writing in the wee small hours of the morning._

_Review!_


	8. Driving

_a/n I'm laughing while I type this because I had an amazing idea this morning, guys. I was reading reviews when I had a spout of word vomit that made me giggle. Pending you continue making requests… "This could go on forever. Holy shit."_

_Yes, I swear when the room is empty. Enjoy. Thanks for all the lovely reviews! Several more firsts have been captured and put into order on my outline/timeline of greatness. This first is one of mine, but I think a few people might have suggested it. Your reviews were not in vain. I love them too much. I don't want them to run away._

_**DRIVING**_

When Edward pulled into his driveway on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon in January in a new vehicle, Bella and Renesmee came out to meet him with looks of confusion. He could understand. He'd commented this morning that he felt the family needed a third vehicle, not saying for what reason. Bella had just raised her eyebrows and said, "It's your money."

Renesmee had prayed he'd buy something safe and sturdy, so that maybe she could talk him into letting her learn to drive.

So when they met him outside, he could hear the hope in his daughter's mind when she saw when he'd brought home. It wasn't what she'd had in mind when she thought of learning to drive, but he had another car in mind for her when the weather started to thaw a little.

In the meantime, while she was first learning, this was what he deemed safe.

It was a huge Toyota Tundra that she would have to climb into. It was black, had the ability to go into four wheel drive, and ranked high in the safety category. He'd stopped at Lowes on the way back to pick up some sandbags for the bed.

Glancing upstairs, he could hear Jacob, grateful that Edward had taken his advice. If there was one thing Jacob knew more about than Edward, it was how to buy a truck. And buy a truck they had.

Jacob was outside before the other two, anxious to inspect the new machine in the driveway. Edward smiled, not having yet told Jacob his plan on what to do with this truck when his daughter was finished with it.

"Wanna see?" Edward asked, grinning and popping the hood.

"Hell yeah," he laughed, crossing his arms and standing back to let Edward do the honors. When he got a look at the engine, he gave out a low, manly sound of pleasure and awe. "Nice," he said, clearly impressed. "Went with the V8 engine."

"More power," Edward said, nodding. "I haven't bought a truck in years. Emmett's always got one, and that's usually enough."

"You sure teaching her on the snow's a good idea?" he asked softly, too softly for the girls to hear inside.

Edward nodded and grinned. "I learned on snow."

"And you drive like you've just committed a crime." Jacob nodded, as well. "I see fast cars in her future."

"She'll keep us busy, for sure," Edward said, hearing the door open and close behind him. He could hear the heartbeat and feel the warmth that radiated from his daughter.

She appeared a moment later, dressed in a hoodie, sweatpants, and boots. Her face was confused.

"Why'd you buy a truck, dad?" She was openly curious, hoping.

Edward heaved a sigh, and heard Jacob's thoughts start to become anxious. The image of Nessie behind the wheel was scary to both of them. "For you," he said.

Renesmee raised an eyebrow.

"For you to learn how to drive," he said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not oblivious. It's all you've been thinking about for the last three months."

She gave a high pitched squeal of delight and rushed a bit more quickly than she should have toward them. When her feet flew out from under her, Edward and Jacob both rushed to her side, grabbing her by the elbows and pulling her up. She grimaced. "I hate ice," she muttered.

"Your truck likes ice," Jacob said, grinning. "It eats ice for breakfast."

"Yeah," she said, laughing. "It's huge!" Then, her face scrunched up in a calculating expression, and she glanced over at her father.

Edward laughed, seeing the image of her driving to school in the huge truck and feeling the trepidation and slight disdain. "No, darling, it's not permanent. Once you've gotten the hang of driving, we'll see about getting you something else."

Jacob registered this, and felt a little sad, thinking that Edward had probably leased the truck and would be getting rid of it. He'd been thinking of ways to get Renesmee to let him borrow it.

"It's not a lease," Edward said, and Jacob glanced over at him, looking confused. "It's bought and paid for. You'll take it off her hands when she'd done with it, I'm sure," he said, smiling slightly.

"I'm touched, man," Jacob said, grinning. Edward took a few steps back when he saw Jacob's wicked smirk and plan that went with it, but he didn't get away fast enough. He winced as Jacob picked him up off the ground and squeezed his face in his chest. "I love you, too."

Edward tensed up and shoved Jacob backward into a snowbank. He laughed with glee when snow exploded around him.

But Edward's attention immediately recentered itself when giggles from his other side reached his ears.

"You think it's funny?" Edward asked, grinning as he stalked toward her slowly. She just giggled more and danced a few steps back. "I smell terrible now, and you think it's so funny." He pounced, tackling his squealing daughter into another drift. His fingers found the tickle spots at her sides, and she screeched with delight, squirming to try to escape.

_Love you so much._

Edward's hands froze when he heard his wife's thoughts, and he looked up to see her standing with a camera on the front porch. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. Beneath him, his daughter pressed her hand to his cheek, still giggling quietly.

Very slowly, the pair of them stood up. Bella's smile disappeared and she took a step back. She set the camera on a dry, snowless part of the porch bench, and held her hands out to defend herself.

Edward leaned down to whisper in his daughter's ear, too quietly for his wife to hear. She giggled some more and nodded, bronze curls that had fallen from her hood bouncing with the movement.

Bella's lips pulled back from her teeth, and Edward couldn't help but thinking how beautiful she was, posed to protect herself from her husband and daughter, not realizing the real threat.

"Don't you dare," she said, her lips still tight. "Alice will kill me if I ruin this dress."

"I wouldn't dream of it, darling," Edward said, grinning.

She was so focused on him that she completely missed the giant wolf flying through the air, and as such was unable to defend herself when Jacob tackled her to the ground.

An hour later, dried off and ready to go out, piled into the truck with Renesmee behind the wheel. For a solid minute, they sat in silence before Bella said quietly, "It helps if you turn the engine on."

There was a short burst of nervous laughter.

Renesmee took a deep breath, her thoughts varying from terrified, to excited, to hoping she didn't embarrass herself in front of Jacob. The last one made him grimace, and she glanced sideways at him, an apologetic look on her face.

Then, as if she'd done it a million times before, she turned the key in the ignition.

"Alright," Edward said, suddenly feeling terrified. What if he screwed up? What if he was horrible at this? "Okay. Right pedal is the gas, left is the brake. You use one foot on both of them, got it?"

Renesmee frowned, looking at the floor. _Daddy, you drive with two feet all the time._

"That's different," he spluttered. "I've been driving a long time. For now, and until you're about fifty years old, you need to use one foot."

She rolled her eyes. "One foot," she said, glancing up in the rearview mirror at Jacob, who was grinning. "Got it."

"Okay. Now we take a deep breath," he said. When she just stared at him, an eyebrow cocked, he repeated, "Take a breath and press down on the brake with your right foot."

Sometimes, his daughter frustrated him without even meaning to. She could manage it by just being his daughter. Right now, she smirked at the drive in front of her as she took a breath and pressed down the brake, her thoughts amused. _Is the deep breath for you or me?_ she wondered when he breathed with her.

"This is your turn signal," he said, leaning over to point. "And this one you use to shift. Now, you want to pull it toward you and—"

Again, like she'd done it a million times, she shifted the truck into reverse, keeping her foot on the brake. She showed him a mental image of how to reverse, and he scowled at her.

"Fine," he muttered, crossing his arms and frowning. "You just do it yourself, as you clearly don't need me."

_Grumpy pants,_ she thought, smirk still in place, as she reversed gently out of the drive and into the little turnabout. Like a pro, she shifted into drive and pulled out onto their long, snow packed driveway. She drove slowly, carefully, her hands holding the wheel firmly, but not frantically gripping the way he remembered his doing.

But then again, he realized, hearing the thoughts of the car's other unblocked occupant, he hadn't had a mechanic coaching him and using an old junker to teach on.

Renesmee stopped at the end of the drive, glancing back and forth at the road. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Left," Edward muttered.

_Oh, come on, old man,_ she thought, flipping on her signal before pulling onto the road. _Lighten up. He wasn't trying to steal your thunder, he just knows I'm a klutz and didn't want me to kill anybody._

Edward sighed, not responding, but observing as she drove down the road at about forty miles per hour. She was being cautious, and he detected her nerves kicking in as she realized she was actually driving, and she had no idea how the vehicle would really react.

"You're doing just fine," he said patiently, watching her knuckles tighten.

_Okay, so I just need to not go too fast and not slam on the brakes, right? Because of the snow?_ Her mind filled with pictures of the big truck sliding off the road and into one of the frozen lakes that dotted the landscape.

Edward turned to look at her, and he could see the fear in her eyes. What if she drove off the road and into a pond and they couldn't get out fast enough and Jacob froze to death and died…

He blinked. At some point, her thoughts had turned panicked.

"You're doing just fine, darling," he murmured. "You've got your eyes on the road and you're driving. Now, I'd like you to gently lift your foot off the accelerator. Don't hit the brake yet, just coast. You see that turn up there?"

She nodded, eyes glued on it.

"Good. You're going to make a right turn. Since it's snowy, you want to slow down so you don't go off the road." Edward narrowed his eyes. "Just don't slam the brakes."

"I know," she said, not looking away from the road as she slowed.

Behind him, Edward could see in Jacob's thoughts looks of amusement he and Bella were swapping. He turned in his seat to look at the pair of them, and it amused him a little when they both looked sheepish, like a couple of little kids caught up to no good.

"You're doing really well, honey," Bella said, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm proud of you."

Renesmee didn't speak as she slowed and made her way around the corner. Edward tried hard not to roll his eyes. He failed.

"You don't have to go _that_ slow, sweetie," he said.

Mistake. She glared over at him and her thoughts were a jumble of annoyance. He hadn't noticed something that she had, and he reached for something to grab onto when she slammed on the accelerator, having found a nice stretch of dry pavement. She raced down the road, glaring ahead of her.

Bella's mind opened suddenly. _Shouting doesn't help, shouting doesn't help, shouting doesn't help._

Edward set his jaw and glanced back at his wife. "You're going a tad fast, dearest," he said.

Renesmee slammed on the brakes, controlling the vehicle startlingly well. The truck came to a stop and his daughter's face snapped to look at his.

"Don't roll your eyes at me," she ordered.

"Bossy, bossy," he muttered. Then, when her thoughts elevated to the boiling point, he held up his hands. "I'm sorry," he said.

The rest of the time spent practicing her driving went more or less the same. Silence would envelop the truck for a few minutes, then Edward would either explain something to her or snap at her, or she would catch some movement of his she didn't like and she would snap at him.

By the time they got home, they'd become so frustrated with each other that they were barely speaking. She parked in the driveway and climbed down before stalking into the house. Jacob gave Edward a sympathetic look and headed in after her, more than likely to calm her down and talk some sense into her.

For his part, Edward stayed in the front seat and didn't move for a long time, just listening to her thoughts. He closed his eyes and leaned toward her when his wife's hands began to rub the tension from his shoulders.

Renesmee was talking to Jacob now. She was pacing back and forth in her bedroom, working furiously like a tornado in reverse as she tidied every nook and cranny of her bedroom.

"I mean, he's just suck a jerk," she was saying. "He thinks he knows everything and he's just such an ass hole about it sometimes."

Jacob actually laughed. "You realize that you do the exact same thing to him, right?" She rolled her eyes, and he pointed. "See?"

"Whatever," she muttered, violently folding a pair of jeans and putting them away, slamming the drawer closed.

Suddenly, the only sounds he could hear from them were their muffled voices, which had been hushed for most of the conversation. Their thoughts were cut off, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Bella let go of him to climb up and sit next to him in the driver's seat. "What's wrong?"

"She's just so angry at me all the time these days," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I don't understand."

"It's because she's just like you," Bella said, a smile dancing on her lips. Her golden eyes sparkled. "She'll get over it."

"I hope so," he said, sighing heavily and leaning his head back. He didn't voice his true concern, because it was so silly and, he knew, pointless.

As of late, the only person who really seemed to make Renesmee see sense was Jacob. She was getting more rebellious, which Carlisle attributed to her elevated hormone levels. She was a teenager by all counts now, and it was starting to show. However, no matter how upset she was at some new rule her parents had put into place, Jacob could always calm her down. Jacob was the one to make her see the reasons, because half the time, he was in on whatever was going on.

Edward had been enjoying the quiet inside the cab while his wife rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb when the front door opened. Renesmee tromped out, looking slightly embarrassed and slightly pissed. She stopped outside the truck on his side and stood, peering in with her arms crossed over her chest.

Edward rolled down the window. "Yes?" he asked.

Renesmee stomped her feet on the ground as if she were cold. Maybe she was. The bitter January air even registered with Edward. "I'm sorry I was rude," she said, and it seemed to take a lot of effort to get the words out. "I know you were only trying to help."

Opening the door, Edward climbed down from the cab to wrap his arms around his daughter and press a kiss to the side of her head. Her arms relaxed and wrapped around his waist. "It's okay, baby," he said softly. "I should have been smarter and just let your mom teach you. The combination of both of us in an enclosed space isn't always the best one."

He felt her smile against her chest. "That would mean you'd have to quit being a control freak."

"I can do it for her," he said. "I can try for you. You just need to know it's hard."

Her hands slid up to rest on his cheeks, and he closed his eyes as the images began. Pictures of her at different ages, growing up so quickly, like a vine. It made her own head spin, and she could see why he treated her like a child. She was only five, after all.

"And what normal parent teaches their child to drive at five?" Edward asked, smiling down at her when her face tilted to look up at him. He carefully tucked a few stray curls back into her hood so they wouldn't get damp from the snow that had started to fall. "I love you," he said, pulling her into another hug.

She hugged back, her arms wrapping around him with surprising force. He lifted her off the ground and carried her giggling body back to the door. "In," he ordered. "It's cold."

She continued giggling as she shot inside and upstairs.

He watched her go, listening as she slammed her bedroom door shut. Another mark that she was a teenager—the obscene amount of time she spent in there. Doing nothing. Homework, surfing the net, trying on different outfits…

Edward heaved a sigh as he turned back to where his wife was walking toward him. She grew so fast…

Bella took his hands, smiling up at him. "You look kind of sad." She patted his back as she walked past him, into the house. "Don't be. She'll still be your little girl, even when she's a hundred years old." _Jacob won't change that. He knows I'd kill him._

Her thoughts made him laugh, and he followed her back into their home.

_a/n Hope you liked it. Review! I like them! Keep your ideas coming!_


	9. Home Alone

_a/n Please enjoy another multiple first. Try to guess the second first._

_I recently received some lemons and made some lemonade. Hope you like it._

_**HOME ALONE**_

Every surface of the stylish house was perfect, as if it were to be on inspection soon. Not a speck of dust soiled any surface, and everything, down to the throw pillows on the sofa, was perfectly and symmetrically in place. The beds were made up like those on display at Neiman Marcus, pillows stacked just so and covers folded exactly. The carpets had been vacuumed, the hardwood floors polished, and the kitchen floor waxed. Dishes had been run through the washer and put away, and the sink and counter tops were spotless. The ceramic surfaces of the bathroom gleamed, and not so much as a hair dirtied the vast whirlpool tub. Everything was perfect.

There was absolutely nothing left to do but drink.

So Renesmee Cullen Black sat on her couch with a bottle of wine and the TV remote, flipping channels and bemoaning her current state. Tonight was the first night in over three years of marriage that she would sleep alone in their house.

Jacob was taking some kind of class to further his mechanic's training, and it had him all the way in Colorado. He'd left early that morning and was planning on being back sometime tomorrow. The class was only one day, but Quil had gone with him, and the two of them had planned to spend some much needed guy time there this evening.

This meant that she was spending the night alone. Jacob had offered to take her along to the class, but Renesmee would feel bad calling off work. Over the years, she'd worked her way up and was now the primary hygienist in her office. Her grandfather very nearly puffed with pride over her these days, and she'd hate to let him down because she was too weak to be away from Jacob for one measly night. So she'd stayed home, hoping that Andy wouldn't be busy. As fate would have it, it was her anniversary this weekend, and she and her husband were going to some little bed and breakfast in upstate California. She'd found herself alone at four when she'd gotten home from work and had promptly called her mother for advice.

"Clean," Bella said. "Clean your entire house from top to bottom. That's what I do when your dad's gone. He comes back to a spotless house and it makes him happy."

"Yeah." Renesmee had picked at her nails. "I'm sure it's the _clean house_ that makes him happy."

"Whatever." Her mother at least sounded at little embarrassed. "Listen, I have stuff to do tonight and I have to leave your dad at home. Maybe I'll tell him to come by if he gets too bored. Would that make you feel any better?"

Hanging out with her sex-depraved, teenaged father seemed to have more advantages than disadvantages, so she'd agreed.

Heaving yet another bored sigh, Renesmee lifted the bottle to her lips and took a swig. She could understand why her friend had gone to northern California, she reasoned, reading the label on her wine. Good product there. She stopped flipping channels when she settled on one of those paranormal investigation shows. Some guy was in a tiny, cramped attic with nothing but a flashlight to protect himself against whatever was up there to frighten him. It amused her parents and husband to no end that she firmly believed in ghosts and the paranormal. She'd been raised in a world that most believed to be just myths and legends, so she had a hard time discrediting anything just because it was mythical.

It was then that she realized there was one spot in the house she hadn't cleaned, and she scrunched up her nose. It was the creepiest place, and the entire time they'd lived here, she'd not gone up alone once.

She made her way slowly up the stairs to the attic, flashlight clutched tight in one hand, bottle of wine and no glass in the other. "You are a hybrid vampire," she muttered to herself. "You are not afraid of ghosts or any other strange things." Taking a deep breath, she opened the little door and stepped inside.

It was dusty and empty. They'd never used the attic for anything, not having accumulated enough stuff yet to need one. A streetlight shined into the tiny window at the end of the long space, and only a couple of boxes, abandoned by previous owners, littered the floor here and there. She turned on the light and it wasn't so bad after that. There were no ghosts, nothing to be thrown at her if there were ghosts that decided to become violent.

It would have almost made her happier if there had been ghosts in her attic. Feeling a little brave, probably thanks to the folks at Beringer and their delightful Chenin Blanc, she banged loudly with her food on the wood floor. Nothing knocked back.

She was completely alone. Not even a ghost wanted to hang out with her.

Heaving a sigh, she set down the bottle, deciding she probably _should_ use a glass, so her father wouldn't try to shit himself once he realized this had gone on all day. He was sure to find the two empty bottles she'd already demolished today. She made her way downstairs, leaving all the lights on as she passed, making her way to the kitchen for a glass, broom, dustpan, and vacuum. They all made it upstairs together, even the wineglass, in once piece and without touching the floor.

After setting down everything and pouring herself a glass of wine, Renesmee slowly walked from box to box—there were only three—sorting through the contents. She thought, after so many years, it would be okay to sift through them.

The first held a few old blankets that had, sandwiched between them, several old photographs. The first was of a young couple, standing outside this very house. The woman wore a polka dotted dress and pumps, and the man wore a military uniform. The back of the photo had _`45_ written in a corner. Just after World War II, then. Another picture was of the same couple, this time in front of a beautiful Christmas tree in the living room. Renesmee liked how it had been situated, and stuck that one in her brain for later. The final photo was older, and in color, whereas the first had been black and white.

The couple was older, and between them was a tiny, adorable baby. The child's mouth was wide open and smiling. The couple, who had lines around their faces now, looked blissful. Renesmee grimaced at the darling photo, wishing she had it in her to smile. No Jacob, and nobody else…

Maybe this was why people always said not to drink alone, she thought with a grimace.

Renesmee put the photos back in the box and went about cleaning that corner. It took longer than she'd thought it would. Dust like this, dust that had been ten or so years in the making, was not the easiest to get rid of, and she soon found herself on her hands and knees, scrubbing.

The second box wasn't even a box—it was an old trunk, covered by dust. She cleaned it off carefully, using only a soft cloth, before she creaked it open.

_This_ was _old_.

A few random items had been left in the old steamer crate. A silver brush, tarnished, but beautiful just the same. So she'd have something to do next time she found herself alone, she took the brush out and set it down so she could take it downstairs and polish it. Rosalie would love this for Christmas.

There were also two photos. One was of a middle aged man, his face worn prematurely from the weather, stood in front of a little fishing boat. He had a proud look on his face, and Renesmee wondered if it was perhaps the first resident of her hundred year old house. Sure enough, flipping it, the date _Elliott Bay, September 1897_ was scratched in elegant script on the back. The house had been built the year after. Guy must have had one hell of a season. The second photo was of the same man and his lovely young bride. The date on the back said _1901_ and was in the same elegant scrawl.

"Hey, I was born that year!"

Renesmee let out a piercing scream, dropping the photograph and nearly knocking over her wine glass. She spun around on the floor, her hand over her racing heart, to see her father sticking his head in the attic door. His handsome face wore a sheepish expression, and she glared at him.

"You scared the hell out of me, daddy!" She took a deep breath before picking up her wine glass and draining it. "God! Warning next time!"

"Sorry," he said, taking a few more steps so that he was standing behind her. "What do you have here?"

"Old boxes from people that used to live here," she said blankly. "What did you think?"

Edward rolled his eyes and took the photo from his daughter. He appraised it with raised eyebrows. "Huh," he said, looking a little intrigued by something.

"What?"

He held out the photo. "She's pregnant."

Renesmee gawked. "How can you tell?"

"Right there," he said, pointing. "You can hardly tell because of the cut of the dress, but she is."

"Huh." She examined it, and he was right. "Well, good for her." She put the picture back, busying herself with moving the crate so she could clean its corner. She could feel her father's eyes on her, but she was grateful he didn't say anything.

He watched as she started to scrub. "I brought your iPod dock up," he said, jerking his thumb toward the door. "Want me to plug it in for you?"

"Sure." She smiled up at him. "Thanks for coming over," she said. "How long's mom gonna be busy?"

"Another hour, at least," he said, starting up her iPod. "I'm yours 'til then."

Rosalie was getting married again, and she'd talked her youngest sister into being a bridesmaid and wearing the dress. Renesmee was off the hook because she was playing piano. So here stood her father, who had probably been the one with the idea to visit her in the first place.

Or so she suspected.

He laughed. "No suspecting," he said, waggling a finger at her. "You know me too well. And it's not like you wouldn't do the same thing." He grinned. "You have."

"One time," she said. "And it was because I had this sad mental image of you sitting in a chair pouting." She showed him an image of a photo of him she'd once seen, taken before he'd met her mother. In it, he was sitting in a chair and staring, melancholy, into a fireplace. Iconic and depressing at the same time. When her mother had left for a week to visit Italy with Carlisle a few years ago, Edward had pouted his way around the house for two days before his daughter had shown up with a few DVDs and Apples to Apples for when Jacob showed up later.

"Yes, and tonight your mother has her womanly duties, so here I am." He held out his hands for the broom. "You let me do that. You go through that other box. Are we keeping these?" He gestured down at the box.

"Yes," she said, nodding her head toward the cleaned corner and the first box. "Over there, where it's already clean."

"Got it."

She made her way across the dirty floor to where the third box sat.

This box was different. It was an old U-Haul box, and the items inside were stuffed haphazardly. There was a bowling trophy, a stack of letters, envelope of photographs, an orange sweater, datebook, and several ticket stubs—Van Halen at the Coliseum, Aerosmith, The Pretenders, Rush, all at the Paramount. There was a hairbrush, a really old Walkman, several mix tapes, a pair of multicolored leg warmers. And finally, folded in the corner, an old Rolling Stones t-shirt that looked like it had once fit on a woman or small man.

It was while she flipped through the photos what she realized what the items in this particular box signified.

"I think I found a breakup box," she said dryly, holding out the photos. "That's bleak."

Edward laughed and took the photos. He glanced through them, eyebrows raised. "Yeah, looks like that to me."

She sighed heavily and took them back, placing them back in their rightful place amid the woman's other things. "I wonder why he never threw it away."

"Maybe he couldn't bear to destroy the only things he had left," Edward said quietly. Renesmee looked at him, and his eyes were far away. "I wouldn't have been able to."

A small smile crossed Renesmee's lips. She showed him a memory of her mother, laughing when she had described Edward hiding an old photo of them with a couple of plane tickets and a CD under her floorboards when he'd left. Her eyes had danced, and she had radiated happiness. Completely over it.

"So are you going to leave a box when you leave?" her father asked, smiling slightly. His smile faded when she recalled the photo of the older couple holding a baby, hearing the resentment in her mind that she more than likely wouldn't have a child here, near her family and their roots. Resentment that she might not have one at all. She looked down at her knees when he sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You know that could take some time," he said softly. "We're still not sure how everything works for you, darling."

Renesmee nodded, blinking rapidly to get rid of the tears that had started up. "I know," she said. She did know. She knew that she ovulated, and she also knew that Carlisle couldn't find any rhythm to it. It was like a crap shoot, and she would, just like any other woman, eventually just run out of eggs. How long that would take, they also didn't know. When she did have cycles, they had no rhythm.

Blah, blah, blah. Same old, same old. Had been for a year.

"Floor looks good," she commented, taking a sip of her wine and digging further into her father's side.

He smiled. "Took no time at all."

"I was trying to go slow," she explained. "Kill time."

"Ah." A little frown creased his eyebrows, and she instantly felt bad.

"It's fine, daddy," she said, smiling. "I'm probably going to polish this off and crash after you leave." She thought happily of the joint she had waiting for her in the bedside table.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last part," Edward muttered. His phone chose that moment to rang, and he dug in his pocket. "Saved by the bell."

"Is it momma?" Renesmee peered over at his phone. She reached for it, and he handed it to her with raised eyebrows. She answered it. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but it appears that your husband has been spending time with another woman tonight."

"And would this other woman happen to have red hair?" Her mother's voice was amused. "Possibly wielding a wine glass or beer bottle?"

"Beer bottle?" she repeated, as if insulted. "Really, mother, what do you think I am, a redneck?"

"Sorry, baby," she said, and she laughed. "Tell your dad it's safe to come home."

"Don't you want to talk to him?"

"Nope." She could hear the smirk in her voice. "If he wants to talk to me he can call me back, but this is what he gets for letting you answer the phone." Laughing, she hung up.

Renesmee handed the phone back. "Sorry, daddy," she said, smiling sheepishly. "Forgive me?" She stuck out her bottom lip like a child.

He laughed. "Of course." He stood up. "You coming?"

"I think I'm going to finish my wine up here, admire my two thirds of the room." Renesmee smiled up at him. "Thanks for coming over."

He leaned down to drop a kiss on the top of her head. "You know you can come stay at home. Your mother would love that." His teenage face and eyes told a slightly different story, and she smiled slightly. He just shrugged apologetically, and she rolled her eyes, mentally blaming the combination of him and her mother for her overblown sex drive. He shuddered, and she laughed.

"I know," she replied in answer to his question. "But I'm a big girl now. I can handle a night by myself."

"Got it." Edward gave her a little wave, and just like that, he was gone. She heard his car start out front, and she sighed as she listened to it drive away.

An hour later, Renesmee peeled herself off the attic floor and made her way back to her bedroom. It was big and empty without Jacob to fill it, and she climbed into bed, lying uncomfortably in the middle for a minute before sighing heavily. She took the joint from the bedside table and made her way to his side of the bed. She snuggled down and turned on the TV, trying to relax while she watched _Boardwalk Empire_, which was not nearly as much fun as it was with Jacob.

She was thinking about going downstairs for some ice cream when her phone rang, and she smiled when she saw the caller ID.

"Hi, baby," she said quietly, curling up around one of Jacob's pillows. "How are you?"

"I'm an hour ahead of you and I can't sleep." Jacob's voice sounded upset.

"Oh, sweetie," she murmured. "Did you try that thing where you relax all your muscles?"

"Yep." He sighed heavily. "Didn't work."

Renesmee sat up straight. "I don't like this." She could feel a frown on her face. "I mean, there's only two things that would made me happy, and that's you, or a pint of Häagen Dazs. And I don't even know that ice cream would make me happy right now, and ice cream _always _makes me happy."

Jacob groaned and she could hear the shifting of covers in the background. "Don't tell me that, baby," he pleaded. "It makes me crazy."

She frowned. "Are you in bed?"

"Yes."

"You sound like you should be pacing." She smiled slightly. "Where's Quil?"

"He's got his own room," Jacob said. "Thank God."

"So you're all by yourself?" Maybe there was something she wanted more than ice cream, come to think of it. She grinned.

"Yes." She could hear the scowl in his voice. "That's the problem at hand."

A giggle burst from her lips. "You know, you could get rid of your problem with your hand," she suggested coyly.

There was a pause. "What?"

"I'll bet you money you've got a boner right now." He cursed softly, and she laughed. "You could… you know."

There was another pause, and she wondered if she'd somehow offended him. She didn't see how that was possible, but maybe she did. Then…

"I will if you will."

Renesmee blinked. "Okay."

"Remember that thing I got you for your birthday last year?" His voice had gone husky.

Oh, she remembered. She liked to put it on under her panties and leave the remote hanging out where he could access it while they lay on the couch and watched movies. She grinned wickedly. "The Butterfly?" she asked, feeling her stomach turn excitedly.

"The very same," he chuckled, and she could imagine that the look on his face must be similar to hers.

"What about it?"

She could hear him shifting in the background. "I want you to put the phone on speaker, then I want you to take your clothes off and put that thing on." His voice was the authoritative one he used with his pack. "I want you to talk to me while you get undressed, tell me what you're taking off."

A hot blush made its way over her entire body, centering at her groin, and she did exactly as he said. She pushed the button so she could have her hands free and removed first the old t-shirt and then the pink sweats that were so old, they clung to her every curve. She told him the exact pair of panties she wore—the ones from her seven day pack that said "Live for Saturday" on the back that, for some reason, he thought were very, very sexy. Tonight, he thought it even sexier when she mentioned she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Not fair," he grunted. "I fucking love it when you wear those with no bra."

"Yeah?" she asked, lying back down. "Why?"

"Because when you bend over to get something, your ass always sticks out and I can just see the sides of your tits. Plus, your ass is telling me to live for the day when neither of us work and we get to fuck all day long." His voice was low and rumbling.

Wow. Maybe they needed to try this more often. She could feel moisture between her legs and she reached into her bedside table again, this time rooting into the back for the hands-free vibrator he'd bought for her as a joke. She giggled a little when she thought back to after he'd given it to her.

_Renesmee lay on her back, legs separated and propped up by pillows. One hand lay fisted next to a tiny, breakable remote and the other grasped another pillow behind her head. This thing was positively wild. She'd had it on for five minutes, and she was just about finished. Jacob had bought her her first vibrator as a bit of a joke and presented it to her yesterday at breakfast, as another joke. Renesmee, being the product of two sexually charged teenagers, had quickly figured out how to work it, and damn, did it work._

_Jacob's face flashed behind her closed eyelids and she moaned as she imagined his big, warm hands on her. She'd been so involved that she didn't realize he'd entered the room until she heard a soft moan._

_Her eyes had opened to find Jacob standing at the end of the bed, facing her spread vagina full on, his eyes burning with lust and his face almost in pain at the effort from holding back. She grinned up at him and crooked her finger at him, beckoning him into their bed._

He seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Put your legs up on the headboard," he said. "Spread them."

For as clumsy as she could be, there was a flipside to Renesmee that involved being exceedingly flexible, something her husband had quickly learned to appreciate and utilize. So she did as he asked and got herself comfortable, more or less lying on her back with her legs leaning against the wooden headboard in the splits. She felt a flutter of anticipation. This particular position had a very specific use with him, and the thought of it made her moan softly.

Again, he was on her wavelength. "Why do I put you in this position, baby?" he asked, and his voice was heavy with desire. "What do I do to you when you're like this?"

"You eat me out," she said honestly, moving the phone a bit so it would be closer to her head. She didn't want him to miss a second. Resting her head back against the soft comforter, she inhaled deeply, the scent of him so strong she could taste it on her tongue. Yum.

"And what else?"

She grinned. One of sis favorite things in the world, that's what else. "You get a blow job."

"Damn straight," he said. "Turn that thing on low."

"Are you already naked?" she asked, shuddering slightly as the vibrations met her body.

"Of course I am," he laughed. "I've been jackin' it the whole time."

"Oh, you asshole!" she laughed. "And you made me wait."

"Because you don't take more than five minutes once you get started," he teased. "Tell me where your hands are, baby."

"On the bed."

"Put them on your tits," he said, his voice suddenly pleading. "Put them on and pretend it's me."

"You want me to pull them?" she asked, her voice lowering. He was such a guy, and whenever she touched herself, he always wanted her to pull them. His response was a muffled affirmative that made her smile, and she did as he asked. A soft moan of pleasure escaped from her, and she closed her eyes, picturing him between her legs, smirk in place while he devoured her. His own sounds met her ears, and she felt a rush of pleasure. "What are you thinking about, baby?"

"I'm thinking about your tongue," he said, and his voice was breathless. "That thing you do with your tongue when you have me in your mouth." He groaned, and it was a longing sound. "You gotta turn that thing up, baby. I don't know how much longer I can do this."

Renesmee reached for the controller and turned the vibrations up, shaking slightly when the warmth started its slow spread. "Oh, God," she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Tell me what you're thinking, honey," he begged.

"I'm thinking about the other night," she squeaked, and she could almost hear the smirk in his reply.

"Oh, are you now?" he asked. "You made quite a mess."

"You didn't seem to be complaining at the time," she grunted, her memory spinning back to just how much he'd seemed to enjoy cleaning her up. A snarl ripped its way from her throat, and she heard his moan loud and clear from the other end.

"You close?" he asked.

"Yeah," she gasped, unable to get out much more than one word at a time now. "Oh!"

"Do it for me, baby," he begged. "Fuck, I'm close."

Hearing the words come out of his mouth finished her.

Later that night, after several laughs with her husband, Renesmee found herself once more curled up around his pillow, inhaling the scent of him. He'd promised to call her as soon as he boarded his flight tomorrow, and she'd promised to be waiting at the airport with open arms and open thighs. That had made him laugh, and he'd told her again how much he loved her before telling her to get some sleep. Now, she lay in their bed, eyes closed, mind wandering again.

Tomorrow would be a new day. Her husband would come home from his first trip away from her to a clean house. She already had her morning of food prep planned so that dinner would be more or less ready when he came home. But to do that, she needed sleep.

Smiling, she burrowed down further into the pillows and finally closed her eyes, falling into a sleep full of dreams of her husband's wonderful hands.

_a/n That was much harder than I thought it would be… Ahem. Sorry about the delay—there were three days of Thanksgiving, recovery time, bills, and work that all came up. Life, and all that jazz. REVIEW!_


	10. Christmas

_a/n Thought of this one myself while listening to Christmas music from "Glee." It was one of those "duh" moments when you slap yourself on the forehead and wonder why you didn't think of it before. Merry Christmas, all! And if you don't celebrate Christmas, may your winter days be full of love and laughter amid the madness._

_**CHRISTMAS**_

Jacob had always been of the opinion that his wife was the superior of the two of them. He loved being married to a woman whose body temperature was elevated enough that she could wear short shorts in December. He loved that she had put those shorts on in the first place, instead of wearing some ugly sweater and jeans that hid her skin and curves from him.

He also loved that she was so excited about decorating her first Christmas tree, with supplies she herself had selected and purchased, that she was completely oblivious to the fact that he was totally eye-fucking her right now.

At the moment, she was standing with her hand on her hip, staring at the tree with her head cocked slightly to the side. She was so cute when she stood that way he just wanted to pick her up and squeeze her. But then she moved, stepping up onto her little stool to reach something. She was trying to fix the star. Her arms stretched up over her head, and he couldn't help but laugh when the mental image of what he was sure was to follow popped into his head.

"Hey," she squealed when he hoisted her up. She giggled a little and adjusted the star and patted his arm for him to set her down.

"I had this mental image of you leaning a little too far and taking the whole tree down," he explained, resting his hands on her hips. "I couldn't let that happen. You'd be sad." He grinned. "But it would have been really funny."

She gave his arm a light smack and turned in his arms to look up at the big Douglas fir. It was decorated in silver and white and blue, with white lights adding to the effect. It looked amazing, and completely perfect in their pristine, upscale living room.

He really had somehow landed a great life. For several minutes, he just glanced around the room, his eyes finally landing on his wife. She was staring back with a raised eyebrow.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" she asked, smiling.

"Nothing," he said, smiling slightly and pulling her against him. "It's just that nine years ago, I never would have imagined this much order in my life, you know? Things that are just normal and make sense."

"Like what?" She propped her chin on his chest and stared up, curious.

"I'm married. I have a nice house with nice furniture and a really cool Christmas tree," he added with a wink. She giggled. "I've got a steady job and a good income and we live pretty comfortably." He shrugged slightly. "It's just nice."

The look on her face was contemplative, and she had pulled the edge of her bottom lip between her teeth. A little crease appeared between her brows, and he recognized the worried expression she'd picked up from her mother. It was exactly the same. He cupped her face in his hands, smiling at her. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing's wrong," she said carefully. She reached up to lace her fingers through his, unable to really find the right words for the question she had.

She showed him images of them over the course of her life. Smiling, laughing, happy. Jacob watched his own face, never seeing any of the sadness in which he'd once existed. He could gather what she wanted to know.

"I really was that bad," he said honestly. "I couldn't see my life going anywhere near normal anytime soon." He grinned. "I really was shit without you." He could feel her remorse in the thoughts she still shared with him and he shook his head, a frown crossing his face. "Don't you be sorry," he murmured. "The way I look at it, I had to go through all that crap to get to you, and it was totally worth it." Sliding his arms down to her thighs, he hoisted her into his arms. "I love you," he murmured, pressing his face into her soft bronze curls. "You are the best thing in my life."

Her hands left his face so she could cling tightly to him. "I love you, too," she whispered. She buried her face in his neck, her lips pressing tiny kisses to the skin she found there.

"And the tree looks great, by the way," he said grinning. "You've got a gift."

"You're just saying that because you love me," she muttered, and he could feel her skin heat with her blush.

"Nope," he said. "It looks good. I tell you _twice_ because I love you." And that said, he carried her upstairs to show her all the ways he could love her.

_Two Weeks Later_

Every year for seven years, Renesmee had made a tradition of launching herself onto Jacob's bed every Christmas morning. He would wake up and they would descend the stairs to find her parents waiting for them by the tree.

This year, the parents weren't showing up until noon and he woke up with his dick in his wife's mouth.

Merry fucking Christmas, indeed.

He groaned and let his still sleepy fingers find their way into her hair. She smiled up at him, winking, and he laughed. His laugh turned into a moan when she really went to work on him, and for several minutes, the only thing he could think of was her name and how good it felt.

Finally, she climbed up him to straddle his waist and she took him so deep inside her that his eyes rolled back into his head automatically.

"Fuck," he groaned, thrusting upward to meet her. He put his hands on her hips so he could have something under his hands to hold on to and followed her lead as she writhed on top of him. She was still naked from the night before and her full breasts bounced and jiggled.

It was moments like this that made Jacob extremely grateful to the imprinting gods for giving him a partner with an amazing body.

She flattened her legs against his chest so that she was more or less sitting on him and rocked back and forth, moaning, her long hair dangling between his legs and adding to the sensations. Jacob exhaled sharply, running his hands desperately up and down her legs.

Control. He needed control, before he lost any more. He wasn't ready to be finished yet.

Gathering his strength, he forcefully rolled her over. Her legs were still against his chest, and he used this to his advantage, leaving them propped on his shoulders. He held tight to her thighs, pushing them together. Something was off, and he attributed it to his height. So he reached up, grabbing a couple pillows and shoving them under her back. She was grinning up at him, excited to be taken this way, and it turned him on. With a groan, he slid easily back into her and she moaned loudly as he thrust deeply into her.

Later, while they stared across the pillows at each other, he let one hand find its way up to play with her bouncy ringlets. He loved her like this, with her eyes drooping and a lazy smile on her face. It made him want to give her everything she wanted.

And thinking of things she wanted…

Jacob rolled over and reached under the bed for the present he'd wanted to give her in bed.

"Merry Christmas," he said quietly, placing the flat box between them.

She quirked an eyebrow. "I thought we were waiting for my parents?" she asked.

"I wanted you to open this one now," he said softly.

A year ago, Jacob had started work on an old Shelby Cobra with the intent of restoring it for profit. It had paid off quite well, making it possible for him to give her something he'd wanted her to have for a while.

He put the vintage Harry Winston necklace on her himself, grinning from ear to ear at the sight. She loved vintage jewelry, and he loved staring at her when the only thing she wore was a diamond necklace. This one rested on the tops of her full, beautiful breasts, and with her hair as wild as it was after morning sex, she looked so far beyond beautiful that he could barely look at her. He still looked at her, though. She was so sexy.

She smiled across at him, lacing her fingers in his hair. "Do you want my Christmas present?" she asked, and her voice was mischievous.

"I thought you already gave it to me," he grunted, rolling her onto her back so he could stare at her. She laughed as he stared openly at her chest, bare save for the diamonds glinting there. Seriously, she didn't seem to understand his obsession with bedazzling her tits. It was the reason he'd gifted her glinting clip-on nipple rings.

"Nope," she said, and she climbed out of bed, reaching down for something. "It's probably better I give it to you before they get here, anyway." A minute later, a large pile of terrycloth material landed on his face. He frowned, confused.

"Thanks?" he said, and it was more of a question as he unpiled the robe.

She laughed. "It's not the robe, baby," she said, and her eyes twinkled. "But you need to put it on, and then I need you to trust me." She held up a blindfold, and he blinked.

"Seriously, why do I need to put anything close to clothes on?" he asked, exceptionally confused.

He received his answer a few minutes later. She rode his back and led him through the house, blindfolded, until they reached the back deck behind the garage, when she removed her hands and gently led him outside. He could hear the sleet, but he couldn't feel it. In fact, it sounded like there was a roof over his head.

No fucking way.

She whipped off the blindfold, and his eyes landed on a new Jacuzzi, bigger and deeper than the one at her parent's house—almost more like a shallow pool. It was sheltered by screens and a roof now. He had been out here yesterday, and it hadn't been here.

"When…" He pointed, and she laughed.

"This morning," she said, her eyes glimmered again. "My uncles are even faster when Seth helps them. This whole thing took the two of them thirty minutes." She shook her head in disbelief. "They really should go into the business."

Jacob's jaw dropped. He hadn't heard a thing. But then he thought back to how distracted he'd been…

She was still grinning. "You really didn't hear anything?" she asked, and he shook his head. She giggled. "They didn't think you would."

There was even room for up to six, she told him—or three wolves and their women, if they ever had the urge for company.

But for now, he was able to roll down some bamboo shades so that he could have privacy to have her, alone. He watched as she descended into the bubbling water, still wearing her necklace, and was once again grateful to the imprinting gods for a woman who gave him Jacuzzis with the intention of giving it to him naked. Legs spread, from what he could see. He was in the bubbles with her and inside her in under a minute.

It was the best Christmas he could remember having. It was a fairly uneventful day once they'd finally dried off and gotten dressed. Bella and Edward came over shortly after noon with Charlie and Sue, and the six of them opened presents together. From his in-laws, he received a thousand dollars credit for a parts dealer in Seattle so he could start work on a new project, having finished the Shelby last year. In the afternoon, the women disappeared to the kitchen to start working on dinner while the men watched a football game, Jacob and Charlie demolishing a case of beer. Dinner was served around five to those who would eat, and around eight, the house was empty again.

It was delightfully quiet, except for the sound of popcorn being shaken in a pan. Renesmee was making Jiffy Pop, something she had always been fascinated by as a kid and that she still loved. A few minutes later, she entered the living room, smiling, and handed him a beer before getting situated next to him, cozying up and turning to face the television. She smiled.

"I didn't know we had this," she said, nodding toward the screen where the menu page for a DVD of _It's a Wonderful Life_ was looping.

"We didn't," Jacob said, and he was smiling, too. "Your dad snuck it to me earlier. We've never missed a Christmas night of watching this, and we're not going to start now." He lifted his arm and jerked his head slightly. "Get over here," he ordered.

She snuggled up under his arm, her warm little body burrowing into his side. She put the popcorn on her lap and peeled apart the foil. "I love this stuff," she said, taking a handful and shoving it in her face in a manner her father would have deemed unladylike. He thought it was kind of hot.

He started the movie, smiling slightly when she started to doze off halfway through, waking up for the ending when Jimmy Stewart was running down the street to his wife. She smiled lazily up at him, and he kissed the tip of her nose. "Love you," he said softly.

She smiled. "Love you, too." She leaned up to press a gentle kiss against his lips before pulling away just enough to whisper, "Merry Christmas, husband."

He grinned. "Merry Christmas, wife."

_a/n Hope you liked it! Sorry it was last minute, but that's how my shopping was. Love reviews!_


	11. Walk In

_a/n Hey, all! Happy 2011! Here's more fun for you! This is set a few months before "Driving." Enjoy!_

_If you're followers of "Life and Death," it's being worked on. It requires a lot of love._

_**WALK IN**_

Renesmee Cullen was only eighteen months old when she first asked about sex. She had asked an innocent question, and her grandmother had pulled her up onto her lap.

"What's going on in that room is private," Esme had said softly, a small smile on the corner of her mouth. "If we were human, we wouldn't even hear it. We just have to learn to live with it."

"But what is it?" Renesmee asked curiously.

"They're…" Esme had trailed off, trying to think. Then she'd smiled. "Would you take a partial answer, with a promise for more when you're older?" Renesmee nodded, and Esme continued. "They're trying to show each other how much they love each other," she said simply. "Sometimes, married couples do that. There's more nuts and bolts, but you can get that education later."

When she was three, she'd started to change, and her development had begun to slow from several years in one to just two years. She was physically around eleven when she'd asked her mother about exactly what went on with married people that caused walls to collapse. Emmett and Rose had smashed through one, and Renesmee's curiosity had peaked further. They'd been in her mom's car on their way to Fargo to do some clothes shopping sans Alice, who was hunting somewhere up north. Looking back, she was glad she'd asked her mother, who had responded with a cool, "What do you want to know?" Her father would have panicked.

"Grandma said it's something married people do," Renesmee recited.

Her mother's lip had quirked. "Yes," she'd said, and for some reason, her voice had sounded placating, "married people have sex. But you don't _have_ to be married to do it—you just need to be absolutely sure that you love the person. Sex is supposed to be an expression of a really deep love, but it gets confused with a relief for lust."

That had led to a whole new conversation.

And so, for the last year and a half or so, as she'd started to grow and mature from a girl to a teenager physically, some of the things she felt started to make a little sense.

The crush that had started last year wasn't getting any worse. She started looking at Jacob a little differently, but when she sat down and thought about it very hard, she was able to make sense of the butterflies in her stomach. She knew from the conversation with her mother that she needed to wait for her body to catch up with her feelings. It wasn't hard. She had nothing, other than sounds to go on. She had never seen sex, aside from what you saw in movies, which her aunts insisted was nothing like the real thing.

In any case, she had no desire to start destroying property any time soon. Between her hobbies, chores, and rigorous homeschooling to get her ready to start high school, she didn't have much time to think about it.

Tonight, however, everything was a little different, and Nessie found herself sitting on the balcony of Jacob's apartment, drinking a soda while he sipped at a beer.

"Okay," Jacob said slowly. It had been silent for a long time until now. "What exactly is the problem?"

"I…" Renesmee opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying desperately to find words to explain her feelings. She really couldn't even stand to say it out loud.

He frowned and stared over at her, his black eyes burning with their intensity. He hated to see her upset in any way, and not knowing what to do about it, or even what was upsetting her, was frustrating to him. He held out his big hand took one of hers to put her palm to his face.

She breathed a sigh of relief, grateful yet again to have Jacob as her friend. It was like he always understood what she meant.

She showed him the scene from a few minutes ago.

_The house was fairly quiet when her eyes blinked open. A cold sheen of sweat covered her skin. Her dream had been frightening to her, but not so bad as the nightmares she had as a child. This dream had just been shadows. Far away shadows…_

_Clumsily, still half asleep, Renesmee stumbled from the bed. She wanted a glass of water as long as she was up—her mouth felt gunky—and she shuffled to the kitchen. To get to the kitchen, she had to pass the living room._

_She might not have even noticed them, but she reached up to fix her ponytail, which was falling out, and her head turned just enough._

_Her parents were on the couch, completely silent and completely absorbed in each other. Literally. They were completely naked and glued together at the lips and the hips. Her father was more or less sitting on the sofa, which she was never going to use again without a cover of some sort. Her mother knelt over him, sort of half sitting on his lap, her front pressed against his. They moved slowly, soundlessly. She wondered how often they did this here. Then she realized that they were so far gone neither of them had heard her come down. Maybe her father was being shielded._

_She turned, still unobserved by her parents, and headed back up the stairs. She really wasn't thirsty anymore._

_Of course she was unable to sleep after that. She didn't want the first time she saw sex to be her parents doing it on the couch._

_Since she wasn't able to sleep, she was able to hear when things down there started picking up. It started out like it always did—little sighs and soft moans, followed by quiet reminders to keep it down. Then they both picked up._

_Tonight, though, instead of reaching for her iPod to play some music, she did something completely different. She climbed onto the sill of her second story window, glancing around for safety's sake before hopping down and taking off. Surely, Jake's place couldn't be _that_ hard to find on foot… _

"Okay," Jacob said, and his face was still scrunched up. "Yeah. Okay. Got it. Kind of sorry I asked."

Renesmee heaved a sigh and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "All I want is just to go home and go to sleep, but I don't want to hear them." She knew she sounded whiney, but she didn't care. She was just so _tired._

Jacob's eyes opened and he frowned. When he saw how truly upset she was, he heaved a sigh and held out his arms. She slid into them, feeling safe and enveloped in their grasp. She felt him sigh. "Come on, kid," he said, his voice soft but with an edge to it. "Let's get you home."

She pulled away from him to show him her confusion. He laughed. "Don't worry," he said, smiling a hard smile, "they'll know we're coming." He pulled out his phone.

"They're not going to answer," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not calling your parents," he said. He dialed a number, smiling. "It's Halo night. Alice and Rosalie are buying school stuff online, so Emmett and Jasper are alone." His grin turned evil.

She heard Emmett's booming voice answer. Jacob's conversation with him was short. "Hey, man, do me a favor. Go over to your brother's and bang on his door, and then tell him I'm bring his daughter home, so he ought to put some pants on."

Emmett burst out laughing. "No problem, my friend. You called the right person for the job."

"Have a little fun with them," Jacob said. Emmett was still laughing when Jacob hung up a second later. "Okay," he said cheerfully, "let's go!"

Jacob's car was a black Chevy Corvette, a Christmas-slash-birthday present from her dad. Happy to buy a car for someone who was really going to appreciate it, he'd given Jacob the gift of speed and a low center of gravity. It turned on a dime and raced down roads like a bolt of lightning. Tonight, he left the lights off and whipped around curves down narrow country roads to her house. Renesmee rolled down a window and let the cool June night air wash across her face. It wasn't cold by any means, but it wasn't as warm as she wished it would be. She liked the heat.

Because Jacob and her father were a lot alike in their driving of fast cars, they were back at her house before she knew it.

All the lights were on. Jacob's face was hard again, and she heard no voices from inside the house. One solitary figure could be seen. On the front porch bench sat Emmett, his legs propped out in front of him, arms crossed, and grinning from ear to ear the most shit-eating grin anyone had worn in the history of the modern world.

"What's the matter, kiddo?" he called loudly when she climbed out of the car. "Couldn't sleep through all that racket?"

Renesmee rolled her eyes, but was still annoyed and tired enough just to nod her head. She more or less wandered through the front door, holding her hands up when her parents came rushing toward her from the kitchen, dressed and looking concerned. "I don't want to talk about it," she said, glaring at her father. _Epic fail, daddy,_ she threw at him, and he winced a little. "I just want to go to sleep. I don't care if you guys want to…" She waved her hands. "You know. Whatever. But can you just have a bit of common courtesy toward the other person who lives here and get a goddamned room? I really don't need to see it." She stalked up the stairs, leaving her parents gaping behind her.

The fact that her father said nothing to correct her coarse language spoke volumes.

She climbed back into her bed, burrowing into the covers. Her eyes closed by themselves, with no thought from her, and unconsciousness came quickly.

When she opened her eyes, she could hear the sounds of breakfast being made downstairs. The TV was on—CNN. She heard her mother's voice asking Jacob to please pass her the eggs, and her tummy did a little flip.

Jacob was still here.

She was wide awake and down the stairs a second later. Forgetting for a minute what had happened in the wee hours of the morning, she plopped into her chair at the kitchen's marble island next to Jacob and stared expectantly at her mother. Slowly, staring at her daughter oddly, Bella poured her a glass of pomegranate juice and put it down in front of her. Renesmee took a little sip, feeling thirsty.

Oh, yes. She'd been thirsty in the middle of the night. The memories came back and she reached for the juice as calmly as possible. Her mother watched as she took a sip, and she put the glass back down quickly, sighing, annoyed when she felt her father's eyes on the back of her head.

"Seriously, do you guys _want_ to talk about this?" she asked. "Really? You want to sit down and have the awkward conversation about what happened and mommy and daddy this and that?" She turned around to glare daggers at her father. "Seriously?"

Her father held up his hands like he was warding her off. "No, it's fine," he said quickly. "You're a smart girl. No need for discussion." Behind her, her mother hissed softly. Edward's eyes hardened, just a little. "No discussion," he repeated, more conviction in his voice this time. "It's unnecessary. She understands."

"We're sorry," Bella said, and she looked embarrassed.

Renesmee shrugged. "It's fine."

There was no more discussion.

That night, the house was completely silent. Bella and Edward had left in the afternoon for an overnight hunting trip, leaving her alone. They thought she could use some space.

So use some space she had. Space on her credit card.

There were a few things she needed to purchase that she hadn't picked up yet. She hadn't wanted to say anything in front of her mom, because she wasn't sure how she'd react to the fact that her daughter had been taping down her growing body on a daily basis to avoid the topic. She followed the directions she found online and measured herself, and did the math. She checked again.

There was no way.

It was fortunate her parents were out. Renesmee snuck down to their room, and with a feeling of disgust, she opened a drawer in her mother's dresser. She reached for the first she saw of what she needed and shot back down the hall, slamming her door closed, even though there was no one home.

Grimacing, she undressed and tried on her mother's article of clothing.

Oh, dear God. It fit perfectly. And they were only going to get bigger. She knew human girls developed more as they got older, and she hadn't even started growing hips yet. They were just bony things that stuck out oddly and made her jeans fit funny.

She jumped up and down, whining out loud to nobody, as she pondered how she'd gone from nothing to a B.

She could only hope that when she was old enough and done growing, Jacob wouldn't mind if she had huge boobs.

Downstairs, a door slammed, and she jumped. She heard the loud, heavy footsteps and placed them with their owner. Scrambling, she took the bra off, flinging it to some far corner of her room where she hoped no one would ever find it. Jacob called her name just as his feet hit the stairs, and she sprung for a sweatshirt, trying to hide what there was no time to tape down. She flung the door open to find Jacob in jeans and a t-shirt. He must have driven. She wondered why she hadn't heard his car pull up.

"Are you okay?" He was frowning.

She was upset. That was why he was here. It was the pull he always felt any time she was in danger, upset, or really angry. He'd explained to her once that his main goal in life was keeping her happy. He was here to soothe her.

But before she could open her mouth to explain, his eyes narrowed. They were focused beyond her.

Oh, no. Oh, please God, no. But she knew she'd made a mistake when she'd tossed the black lace bra in a room that was immaculate.

"Jesus, did they do it in here, too?" he asked, storming past her. The bra had landed in the wide open, and it hung on her lamp until he picked it up gingerly by the strap. "That's just nasty. No wonder you look so upset." She opened her mouth again, but no sound came out. "I mean, it's bad enough you had to see it," he said. "But honestly, I think most people see their parents go at it at some point."

Renesmee found words again at this. "Did you?"

He laughed. "I was six."

"Ew." Renesmee didn't want to imagine Billy doing… that.

"Yeah. But I don't think they ever did it in any of our rooms." Jacob shook his head. "I'm going to have to have a very awkward conversation with them now." 

"No!" She streaked across the room to take the bra away. "Don't say anything!"

His frown reappeared. "I know you don't want to talk about this stuff with them, but this is just fucked up."

"They didn't do anything in here!" She could feel her cheeks flaming. "I mean, it's my mom's and everything, but that's not why it's in here."

"Okay," he said slowly. "So what's the problem?"

She felt so overheated she wouldn't be surprised if her ears were shooting steam. "I just… I wanted to try it on, I guess."

Jacob looked confused.

"Oh, my God!" She screamed. She took a few steps to get behind him, and then giving him a mighty heave, she shoved him out the door. "You are such a boy!" She slammed the door in his stunned face and plopped down on the floor in front of it.

It was silent for a few moments. Then her phone buzzed. She had a text from Jacob.

_wtf is wrong_

She heaved a sigh and reached up to open the door again. He peered in at her, and she gestured to her body.

"I had to try on her bra to make sure I sized myself right," she said, looking down at her knees. "Don't tell them."

Jacob gave her a very strange look. "Okay," he said slowly, "but I think they're going to notice."

"It's embarrassing," she mumbled.

"No, having your voice crack every two seconds is embarrassing," he said, and she managed a little smile. "Your body's been changing the whole time you've been alive. It's just… different parts, now."

"Normal girls my physical age get away with training bras," she mumbled. "And I get to wear my mom's."

"You have a credit card," Jacob said. "Use it. Go online and buy some."

"That's not the point." She let her legs straighten and looked him full in the face. It was red under the tan. "What if I wind up with huge boobs?"

"Some guys like huge boobs," he blurted, then turned away from her to hit his head on the open door. "I can't even believe I just said that out loud."

"Really?" She was curious now. Her mother's weren't _that_ big, and her dad seemed to find her attractive enough.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "But don't tell your dad I said that."

Now she was confused. "Why?"

"Because he wouldn't like it," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Can we please stop talking about your boobs?"

"Yeah," she said. "It's weird."

"Too true."

"You need to go now," she ordered. "I have bras to order."

"Yep," he said quickly. "See you tomorrow."

And he left her alone, pondering if he was one of the guys that liked bigger boobs.

_a/n Yay for puberty. This is fun. My outline is like a mini book at this point, and it keeps growing! Keep your ideas coming! They are logged and pondered. Review!_


	12. Touching: Pt 1

_a/n Congrats to you guys for popping the 100 review cherry. Didn't hurt at all. First time sex is on its way, just to let all of you know (for some reason, it's been requested quite a few times). But, as a reward, I give you a different flavor of lemonade. Is everyone cool with raspberry? Sweet, with that little raspberry zing. Enjoy. And if it makes you giggle, good. Parts of it are supposed to._

_And as a smug moment of pride, Mark Buehrle and Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox under the leg out on opening day made the number one spot ESPN's Top 10 for 2010. If you haven't seen it and are a baseball fan… I'm not sure where you've been this year, but it's online. It's ridiculous._

_UPDATE: This chapter has been edited. Don't work without your references, kids. You have to edit.  
_

_**TOUCHING**_

The feeling of laying on her childhood bed in her old room in their little one story cottage was as nostalgic as it was comforting. The sounds of Christmas music piping from the living room made her excited. The only Christmas she'd spent here had been a stressful one, even at just a few months old, and one she recalled perfectly. It would be nice to spend it here again with her parents and her boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

She giggled as she recalled the short, blunt conversation she'd had with Jacob a few weeks after their first real date.

_Everything was in boxes, ready to go, and Renesmee stood with her hands on her hips. They were leaving her father's Chicago home after just a few months, and she was sad. Having lived in the borderline wilderness of Minnesota for most of her life to this point, her father's hometown, with its bright lights, fast pace, and the best live music anywhere, had been a welcome change. It had been meant to last about two or three years, but Billy's sudden turn had called them back to Washington. She wasn't bitter at all that she was leaving, though. Chicago would always be here. Billy, on the other hand, only had a few months._

_There was a soft knock on her door, and she looked up just as Jacob entered. She raised her eyebrows. "You know, you're supposed to wait after you knock. What if I had been naked?"_

"_That would have been a bad thing?" He was met with a pillow to the face, and he laughed. "Hey, this is gonna seem really stupid, and maybe it is, but I have a question."_

"_What?"_

"_Will you be my girlfriend?"_

"_As in, I get to tell people that you're my boyfriend?" She felt her stomach do a flip at the idea, assumed as it had been, of actually calling him that._

"_Yeah."_

_She grinned and hopped up to kiss him. "That is silly," she said. "Of course I will."_

The buzzing of her phone caught her attention, and she saw a text from Jacob.

_work sucked wanna hang?_

She laughed, hoping that today, like yesterday and the days before it, would include some making out in their hanging out. _parentals r putting up Christmas stuff. save me!_

She hopped off her bed and danced down the hallway. She could hear her father muttering.

"Jacob's coming over!" she sang as she rounded the corner into the living room.

"Good." Bella was just wrapped in garland at the moment, a little frown on her face. "The fridge needs cleaned out." She looked around her feet, her frown deepening. "Oh, no. This is not happening."

"What's wrong?" Renesmee sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace.

"She can't find any of the lights," her father muttered. He was _still_ muttering.

"Mommy?" Renesmee batted her eyes at her mother. "No man should have to hear his teenage daughter's innermost thoughts."

Her father actually burst out laughing at this. "Please, Bella," he said around his laughter. "She's completely right." A moment later, his laughter subsided, and he sighed with relief. "Thank you."

Bella rolled her eyes, dropping her arms and letting half the garland fall to the floor. "Okay, we have to go to Seattle."

The small smile that had lingered on her father's face evaporated faster than a drop of water on a hot day in the desert. "Why?"

"Because we don't have lights, and I don't want the crappy ones they have in Port Angeles."

He sputtered. "The ones they have at that hardware store are fine."

Her mom's lip jutted out a bit. Smart lady, her mom, she thought to herself as her father's frown had lessened slightly. He had never been able to refuse her anything. "But daring, it'll take so long to get to Seattle." His eyes darted to his daughter, and Renesmee frowned slightly. "I'm just not comfortable…" He trailed off when her pout became a full-on frown. "…leaving her alone so long. You understand."

Her mother blinked once, then said, "No, I really don't. Explain." Her eyes flashed slightly.

Renesmee watched, fascinated. She couldn't figure out how she did it, but her mother had a way of getting everything she wanted from her husband. She took notes in her head, thinking about the things that she wanted…

Her father wasn't stupid. He knew his wife well, could hear the challenge in her voice. And unable to hear her thoughts, he was more unbalanced with her than with anyone else, and not willing to risk infuriating her. "Please," he begged. "We can go, but can we just wait until tomorrow?"

Renesmee then observed her mother change tactics entirely. The frown turned into a smirk, and she raised an eyebrow. "I'll let you drive if we go today," she said, and for some reason her voice sounded very suggestive.

And for reasons she didn't want to know, his face changed, too, and he nodded.

"Ew," Renesmee said, making her way out the front door to wait for Jacob. She may not know what they were talking about, but she could put it into a fairly broad sexual category.

Sitting outside was nostalgic, too, she decided, watching the rain come down to melt the snow. It had been strange, but their rainy last days in Chicago had felt the homiest. After just a few minutes, her parents came out the front door.

"We're leaving you, darling," Bella said. They watched silently as Edward stalked past to open their new garage and start up the car. He frowned out the front windshield. Bella sighed. "Don't worry about him," she said, waving a hand. "He'll come around. He's just not ready for you to be anywhere near adulthood yet."

"Neither are you," Renesmee replied, snuggling into her mother's side in a brief hug.

Bella laughed. "I'm realistic." She dropped a kiss onto her daughter's forehead before darting off to the car. They pulled out, heading through the trees to the main house, and the highway.

After a few seconds, she heard the beep of her father's horn, followed by the honking of what could only be Jacob's truck. Her eyes trained on the spot where he would come through the trees, and a moment later, he was barreling up the gravel drive toward her. Through the rain and his windshield, she could see how exhausted he was. His father's illness and work were taking their toll on him. He climbed out of his truck once it was stationary, and his shoulders slumped as he walked up the walk toward her. As soon as he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her, buried his face in his hair, and inhaled deeply. She rubbed his back for a moment before he pulled away to lean down and press a gentle kiss on her lips. He moaned softly when she deepened it, picking her up with his huge hands by her waist and supporting her when she hopped up to wrap her legs around him. He moaned again when her hands made their way into his thick hair, winding through the silky strands while she tasted every crevice of his mouth she could reach. Clumsily, he reached down for the doorknob and turned it. The wooden door swung open and he carried her inside. Her lips left his so he could see, but she used the chance to kiss whatever else she could reach—his ears, the tip of his nose, his cheeks, neck, collarbone.

When he reached her room, he sat her down on the edge of her bed and pulled away from her. His warm hands reached up to hold her face, and for a long moment, he just stared at her. She felt a little uncomfortable at first, but then she started staring back, logging the things she saw.

His face was lined from a lack of sleep, but his eyes were bright with love for her. She still couldn't believe it when she saw it there, could barely breathe when he said it out loud. He was so devastatingly good looking, she could hardly believe he was really hers. She also noticed that his hair was getting a little long, and she smiled lopsidedly.

"You need a haircut," she murmured, running a hand into his black silk again. He hummed softly, his eyes closing, as her fingers massaged his scalp. She could feel her smile soften, and she giggled when he turned his head to kiss the inside of her wrist.

"Scoot over," he said, standing up.

She felt another flip in her stomach, the anticipation building up a little. She wondered how far she could get him to go today…

He blinked. "You know entirely too much about sex for a virgin," he said bluntly, and she snatched her hand away from his. He grinned. "Sorry."

"No, you're not," she muttered, burying her face in her pillow.

The bed shifted as he lay down next to her. "You're right," he murmured, reaching up to run his fingers through her curls. It felt nice, and she peeked up at him. He was grinning. "Not sorry at all. Nice mental images for later."

She blinked. "That didn't freak you out or anything?" She propped herself up on an elbow, staring at him curiously.

He laughed again, and this time, the sound was warm. "Honey, you could show me stuff like that all day. I'd be a very happy man if you did, actually."

"What kind of stuff do you want to see?" She bit her lip slightly, trying to think.

He blinked. "Seriously?" he asked, and his eyes were excited. It was the first time in a while she'd seen his face empty of the sadness and stress. She wanted him to forget, even if it was just for a little while.

"Seriously."

Growing up in the environment she had, Renesmee was no stranger to sex. And she had grown up with Jacob, who told her everything she'd ever wanted to know about anything, even if it embarrassed the crap out of him. He had helped things along by explaining what her family would not. So maybe she owed him a little embarrassment after all these years. And maybe it would help them along.

She wrapped her fists in his t-shirt, pulling him down on top of her on her bed and pressing her lips against his. He shifted so they would be more comfortable, and for several minutes, she forgot what she'd offered him. But when his hands slid up her sides, missing her breasts by centimeters and frustrating her yet again, she pressed her hands to his face.

About a year ago, on a bored afternoon in Minnesota, she'd spent too much time on the computer one afternoon and quickly discovered a way to relieve herself of the things she had started to feel. So now, she had a barrage of mental images to show him, of the things she liked the most. She showed him how she liked to start herself off, by playing with her breasts, which she was fairly sure were still growing, and he chuckled at that thought.

"I hope they're still growing," he muttered. Then, to her surprise, with no more prodding or pleading from her, he slid his hands up her shirt and under her back. She wondered for a moment what he was doing, exactly, then, before she could even register it, her bra had come lose. It had taken him no time at all.

"How'd you do that so fast?" she asked, curious.

He rolled his eyes, and flushed a little. "We used to practice with Embry's mom's bra," he mumbled. "Tell him I told you, and I'll never touch you again."

Any response she might have had after that was erased from her mind when his warm hands finally made contact with her front.

He'd brushed down the sides quite a few times and accidentally brushed them over her shirt before, but he'd never actually felt her breasts, and she was completely lost in the sensation of his warm hands caressing her. She started to move her hands, but he caught her wrist.

"Keep them there," he mumbled. "Show me what you want, baby." He chuckled at her next thought. "Not yet," he said, nuzzling his nose to hers. "Practice first."

"It's not like you've never done this stuff before," she muttered.

He blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"With girls." She'd never asked many questions about his past—not after finding out that he'd once tried to get with her mother when her father had gone off the deep end. But she had assumed that somewhere along the line, he'd done a few things with girls, therefore making him more knowledgeable that her.

At this, he laughed outright. "When would I have ever had time to be with anyone else?" he chuckled. "Maybe I went out on a few dates when I was younger—I can't remember." He kissed the side of her neck, gently pulling her skin between her teeth and making her moan. "I've never even touched a girl like this before," he said, squeezing her flesh. "I'm as new to this as you are. So you have to tell me what you like."

She showed him another picture, this one making her nervous, and he smiled down at her. "I would never make fun of you," he whispered. "Ever. Not like this."

And so it was that Jacob Black was the first and only boy to take her top off. Her bra was already loose, and it went with her shirt. She let her hands drop to the bed, her arms self-consciously starting to cover herself, but he gently took her hands away and put them next to her on the bed.

He just kept staring at her. Was that normal? She knew he'd seen boobs before—who in this house hadn't? For cripes sakes, he'd had the unfortunate honor of walking in on Carlisle and Esme once, and he swore he was scared for life. He'd been forced to see those of the women the members of his pack dated or were married to, including his sister's, which he also swore scared him. But now, when confronted with her boobs, he seemed to be transfixed.

"Wow," he muttered.

Good thing?

Then he buried his face in her breasts and inhaled deeply, and she giggled a little. "Laugh it up, kid," he mumbled. "You may hate 'em, but you've got the best tits ever. Don't hate me for this. I've wanted to do this for a very long time now."

She shrieked with laughter when he actually motorboated her boobs. But her laughter turned quickly to moans when his mouth changed positions, latching around a nipple and suckling it into his mouth. Any embarrassment she had felt evaporated, and any other thoughts in her head disappeared, because this felt _so good_. So much better than her own fumbling fingers. And while his mouth worked on one side, his fingers worked on the other. It was the greatest sensory overload she'd ever felt in her life.

They rolled around on her bed for a while after that, Jacob playing with his new toys and Renesmee trying to concentrate. Finally, she managed to pull off his t-shirt and undershirt in one movement, and he crushed his chest against hers. The warmth, coupled with the vibrations of his moan of pleasure, made her quiver, and she wondered how difficult it would be to get him to touch her a little further south.

It wasn't difficult at all, actually.

He was very sweet about it, leaving her in her panties so she wasn't completely naked. She wasn't sure she was ready for that just yet. She felt kind of guilty, but he seemed not to mind in the slightest. He'd smiled at her and told her how beautiful she looked, and she'd blushed scarlet before he'd returned his attentions to her body. He lay down next to her, and while his hands played with the exposed flesh of her legs, she managed to unbutton his jeans and shove them down. With a slight grunt, he kicked them off, sending them flying onto her desk. She giggled.

It wasn't like she hadn't seen this much of him before—he didn't wear much more when they hunted. Still, though, when she wore as little as he did, it was completely different. His skin was soft under hers, and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Everything was so new, it should have been difficult.

But it was very easy to let his hands slide under her cotton panties and touch the wet skin he found there. And the feelings…

Part of her mind couldn't wrap around the fact that Jacob Black's hands were on her in very intimate places. Another part hoped her parents would stay in Seattle for a long time. And still another part was screaming with joy that Jacob Black's hands were _finally_ on her in very intimate places.

The last part came out shockingly loud.

She could hear the sounds coming from her own mouth, and she tried to stifle them with her hand. But he pulled her hand away, shaking his head. "Let me hear you," he mumbled, and when he slid one single finger in, she screamed so loud she could surely be heard at the main house. "That's my girl," he whispered. "Can you spread your legs a little more for me?" She wasn't aware that they had clamped shut like a vice on his hand. Shuddering, she forced her legs apart, giving him a little more room to work. It felt so _good_, but she wanted more. She put a hand on his cheek and showed him another picture. He grinned at her, and winked.

Then, he slid in another finger and she heard a genuine squeal come out of her mouth. It was completely mortifying. But her hand was still on her face, and he shook his head. "Not mortifying," he whispered, thrusting his hand against her and making her moan again. "It's fucking hot." His lips found their way to her ear, and she felt his teeth nip at the soft skin. Completely of its own accord, her back arched, pressing her breasts to his bared chest, and causing still more blinding pleasure to shoot through her body.

His, too, it seemed. A growl escaped his lips, vibrating down her neck into the tips of her breasts and right between her legs.

At some point, Jacob had moved from her side to hover over her on one hand. Now, distracted by her pleasure, he collapsed and his full weight rested on Renesmee. For a moment, she was startled—she'd never before felt his full weight. She was pleased to find that he wasn't too heavy for her—he felt like a firm, protective blanket over her.

A blanket that was currently poking into her thigh.

She suddenly felt selfish. He was making her feel so good, and she was barely reciprocating.

An idea popped into her head.

"No, baby," he murmured, and she felt him shake his head. He twisted his wrist and she saw stars.

She was just as easily distracted as a full vampire, it seemed, when it came to sex. She threw her head back against the pillow when his thumb brushed a little higher than his fingers. All she could think was how amazing this felt. Her hands left his face to twine in his hair so that she could attempt to pull him closer. A chuckle escaped his lips and his teeth found that little soft patch of skin again. The movement of his hand picked up speed. Sounds reached her ears—moans, growls, snarls.

Good God, was she doing that?

He seemed to like it, though. Had said so earlier. So why waste the effort to stay quiet? She let the sounds coming, hearing them pick up in volume as she neared her climax. His lips pulled away from her skin to whisper in her ear. "Are you getting close?"

Close? Fuck close, she was already there.

She went over screaming his name at the top of her voice.

A few minutes later, she came to in his arms with his broad face grinning down at her. He looked so happy, and a little proud of himself.

The vampire brain in her head began to be able to differentiate between things now, and she followed a trail of thought back to the fact that she _still_ hadn't done anything for him yet. Her hands were free, so he wasn't aware of her thoughts, and it was easy to flip him onto his back. She started to shift herself into a better position, but his hands stopped her again. "Baby, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

She felt a frown crease her brow, and she watched as his face softened a little. "Why won't you let me?"

"Because this isn't about me, baby."

"You're right," she interjected quickly, before he had a chance to say anything else. "This isn't about you—this is about us. You and me." She pinned his shoulders, keeping her thoughts to herself for a moment. She wanted to say the words out loud. "You just sent me to the stratosphere and back. The least you can let me do is try to return the favor. You know, as your friend." She smirked a little.

He raised an eyebrow. "As a friend, huh?"

"Yeah."

"You're a fucking great friend, kid," he said, and he laughed now. "Seriously, do you want to?"

She huffed and slid down his body. "If I didn't want to, you'd know," she responded. She inhaled deeply at the feeling of him pressed up against her chest. She would admit to going online to find pictures of what she'd be up against, and from what she could tell, he was slightly larger than normal.

Or maybe slightly wasn't the right word. Significantly, then.

It was almost a little surprising how steady her hands were when they reached up to tug his boxers down. She shoved them to his ankles and he kicked them off. She giggled a little when she heard something knock over. Nothing broken.

She sat back on her knees to look at him. She still couldn't believe this man was hers, couldn't believe that they were doing these things now. He had never looked more attractive or desirable to her than he did in this moment. Without really thinking about it, she'd managed to get him completely naked in her bed. Not bad, considering that they hadn't been "dating" all that long. A full consummation of their relationship would come later than today, but hopefully not by much. A possessive side of her wanted to mate with him, to mark this beautiful man as hers. This man with eyes hooded with pleasure, full lips that were currently hanging open a bit. His breathing was ragged, and the sweet smell of his flesh and blood met her senses. She smiled down at him, running her hands over his chest and down toward his stomach, slowly. He groaned, and his eyes rolled back into his head. They stayed closed while her lips slowly descended his body, tracing over the strong ridges of his muscular chest, her tongue flitting out here and there for a taste of his skin. Moans escaped his lips, sounds of pure sex that shot straight down her body.

As her bare breasts brushed down his body, she could feel how turned on he was. She grinned wickedly up at him and paused. "Open your eyes, baby. You won't wanna miss this part." Then she slid down the length of him, her arms pressing her breasts together around him.

"Fuck," he hissed. His eyes were glued to the image of his dick poking up through her cleavage. "Shit, that's hot."

Okay, so Jake was officially a boob guy. Thankfully, she'd been blessed with a rather significant pair.

He kept his eyes on her, panting heavily, when she finally took him fully into her mouth. She was pleased with herself when she found, after a few tries, that she could, in fact, get the whole thing in her mouth without gagging. Jacob was pleased with this, too, moaning and arching his back when she started working her tongue around him. He was so _huge_.

She ended up having an easier time of it using her hands and her mouth together. She remembered a trick she'd heard described in the locker of the Minnesota high school where she had wasted six months of her life before begging to be taken out. It was the only thing she'd taken away from that place, and she was curious to see if it was true. She sucked him, hard, turning her head one way and her hands the other. She went back and forth, her head bobbing and turning. She was so focused on technique and the amazing taste of him that she didn't catch sight of his face for a while.

When she finally looked up at him, he was so glorious that she actually paused and blinked. He was panting, gasping, a sheen of sweat covering his torso and face. He looked flushed, as much as he could with his darker skin. His hands were clenched in the blankets by his sides, and he seemed to be having a hard time keeping them there. She let go of him, taking him out of her mouth for a moment so she could smile up at him.

"Give me your hands," she said quietly, feeling a little shy at the request. He looked a little confused, but he let go of the blankets to slide his fingers through hers. She didn't put forth the effort to hide her thoughts this time, so he admired with her the differences of their skin, meshed together like this.

"I wish you could hear my thoughts," he murmured, still staring at their hands. "I'm so fucking happy right now."

She grinned up at him, feeling a rush at his words. "Wanna be happier?" she asked.

He laughed, and she slid his hands up to tangle in her hair. He'd seen what she wanted, and so he guided her down, groaning when she enveloped him with her mouth again. His hands were strong, steady, as they guided her head up and down. He seemed to enjoy the motion.

"Look at me, baby," he groaned. "Look at me while you do that."

Her eyes flitted up to rest on his. His were clouded with lust, darker and more intense than she'd ever seen them before. He gritted his teeth, and she felt him thrust a little to match the movements of her head. "Fuck yes," he growled, and she could see that his teeth were bared. "Shit, you're fucking good, baby."

His coarse language aroused her, and she watched with eyes she were sure burned as much as his as he inhaled sharply. He chuckled darkly, a smirk crossing his lips. "You're a very dirty girl, you know that?"

She grinned up at him, nodding and swirling her tongue around him. Another growl escaped his lips.

"Touch yourself," he ordered, a tone of the Alpha in his voice.

She was completely, totally, head over heals in love with him at that moment, and without a second thought, she reached down between her legs. Her own fingers matched the pace and movements of her tongue, and one of his hands let go of her so that he could prop himself up to watch. His face was half wondering, half blissed out of his mind, and another rush of arousal shot through her when she reminded herself that she was completely responsible for this. She took him all the way in again, and he thrust shallowly in and out of her mouth while she worked her fingers to match his pace. She moaned in pleasure, and he hissed out another breath, more swears spilling from his lips. He ordered her to come for him, and it was easy to give in to his desires. He told her he was close, and the words burned her like some delicious molten lava, coursing through her veins. When her body finally stopped shaking, she brought her hands to the juncture of his thighs, coating his base with her wet fingers. A shout escaped his lips, followed by an eruption in her mouth. It shot down her throat, and she gulped it down greedily, tasting the essence of Jacob with every swallow.

"Fuck," he groaned, when she'd released him and was sliding back up his body to nestle into his side. "I didn't mean to make you swallow, baby."

She laughed and pressed her hands to his face. She showed him her point of view, of the pleasure he'd given her with his own, and pressed her lips to his.

When their lips finally disconnected, he grinned at her. He looked so happy.

"Of course I'm happy," he laughed. "I just got my first blow job."

She smirked, imaging his face after he'd made love to her. He sighed heavily and wrapped her in his warm arms. "Not yet, baby."

"Why?" She honestly wanted to know.

"Honestly?" He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes. "It's not that I don't think you're ready. I mean, you're physically about eighteen, and a lot of times, that when this stuff starts to happen."

"So why not now?" She scowled a little. If he thought she was ready, what was the hold up?

He burst out laughing. "I have no idea what I'm doing," he managed. His lips brushed against her hair. "Did I make you feel good?"

She couldn't answer out loud, and she didn't want to look up at him and expose her blush. He chuckled when she nodded, but the sound was a little different this time. It was the sound of anticipation. "Imagine how good it'll be when I've got it down," he muttered. "I wanna learn what makes you tick, baby. I want your first time to be perfect. No half assed shit where I finish too soon, or you don't get off."

It took her about five seconds to process this new information. She blinked, then she grinned. "So that means we have to practice, right?"

He laughed again, throwing his head back. She looked up at him, and he looked so happy it made her heart swell. "You look like a devil with that smile," he said, his fingers coming up to knock her chin gently. "Yeah. That means we have to practice."

"My parents are in Seattle for the afternoon," she said. "We've got about three hours to practice."

"Alright," he said, and before she had anytime to register what he was doing, he'd thrown her onto her back. She shrieked with laughter. "First thing's first. Let's get you out of these panties."

She gave him a fake-shy look. "What are you going to do to me? You already said you're not having sex with me."

"Nope." He slid down her body like she had, his, earlier. "I'm going to be a good friend and return your favor."

She had a feeling he was only getting started...

_a/n I'm feeling a continuation of this first on a later date, perhaps from another point of view. Thoughts? Review! Thanks for hitting the 100 mark!_


	13. Drinking, Smoking, Nose Breaking

_a/n Sorry. My only rule is no chronological order. Must bounce around. Means you have to wait for part two of the last one. You should know that there is a devilish glint in my eye right now that matches the giggle and the grin._

_This is set a few months after "Runaway," nine months before "Death." I think a few of you requested this one. You all know who you are... There are drugs, language, violence, and other content in this chapter. Kiddies, be gone. Enjoy._

_Side note: I'm a Libra now. Not sure how I feel about that… I think it's okay. _

_**DRINKING, SMOKING, NOSE-BREAKING**_

In a rare show of kindness, the rain had stopped, and according to the forecast, it was supposed to stay away for the night. It was the only thing that had gone right today.

Renesmee reached for yet another shirt, this one blue, loose fitting, and pulled it on. She was out of time. She'd already spent so long getting ready that this plain shirt seemed the only safe thing in her state of mind. She quickly added a few bangles on her wrists and tossed on a pair of strappy sandals. Finally, she checked herself in the mirror and, satisfied with her random end result, turned to head back downstairs. Trying to ignore the hushed voices in the dining room, she headed into the kitchen. Her mother was sitting on the counter, watching Jacob eat with a little frown.

He looked terrible.

_But how would you feel if your dad had just been given six months to live?_

The thought made her shudder a little, and she darted to the dining room. Her father was sitting at the big round table with her grandfather, their faces grave, pages and pages of lab work in front of them as they tried to come up with a solution that didn't exist. She shot around the side, landing neatly in her father's lap.

Because as annoying as he was sometimes, he was still her father. The thought of him not being there was as terrifying to her now as it had been when she had been a child, and that thought had nearly become reality. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her tight to his chest. She cuddled up, and Carlisle chuckled.

"So how long do you think you'll need to be there?" Carlisle's voice was curious.

"No more than a few months," her father said, his voice a little excited. "Long enough for a few ball games though."

_Ball games?_

Edward laughed. "I've got a lot of research to do to see if there's anything to be done," he said, and this made him grimace a little. "The University of Illinois in Chicago has a decent medical school. I'm going to reenroll for a semester to have full access to the library._"_

"We're moving to Chicago?"

"We're having an extended stay in Chicago," Edward said, smiling. "I'll be stuck in the library all day, though. Maybe you and I can catch a few night games."

_I'm going to see the White Sox live. I think I could faint._ Just to be silly, she fake swooned. Her father's strong arms caught her and she shrieked with laughter when his fingers found the sensitive tickle spots at her sides. His hands were stronger than hers, and she batted at his head, trying to get him to stop, but not really wanting him to. Things had been rocky with him lately, and it was nice just to be a kid with him. She had the feeling he thought the same thing. A minute of shrieking and crying "uncle" later, his strong arms wrapped her up in a hug. She snuggled under his chin again and wrapped her fingers in his t-shirt.

_See? Oversized little kid._

He squeezed her a little tighter._  
_

"Speaking of medical research," Carlisle said, changing the subject, "I need your measurements for today, Renesmee."

She sighed heavily and took out the little notebook where she wrote down, every day, measurements for her height, hair, arms, bust, waist, legs, hips, and feet.

"Almost exactly the same as yesterday," she muttered, handing it over. "I did have a centimeter of growth."

Carlisle opened the book and burst out laughing again.

She glowered. "Not funny."

"It's your face," he choked out, and Edward rolled his eyes. "I didn't even need to look—I know exactly what it is."

Edward sighed. "You leaving soon?" he asked, returning his attention to his daughter.

"Yep." She jerked her head toward the kitchen. "As soon as Jake's done helping mom clean out the fridge."

He frowned. "Aren't you going to eat at this thing?"

_Stress eating,_ she thought, raising her eyebrows. The thought of Jacob made her hop out of her father's lap, pausing to drop a kiss on the top of his head before dancing back to the kitchen. Jacob was still eating, so she hopped up onto next to her mother. Bella wrapped her arm around her daughter's waist and pulled her a little closer, resting her chin on her shoulder. A little smile graced her beautiful face. "What was your centimeter of growth?"

Renesmee huffed like an angry bull and scowled. _My freaking boobs won't stop growing! It's ridiculous._

Her mother's laughter was like pealing bells. "You must get it from your dad," she giggled. "You certainly didn't get those from me!"

Jake blinked and a little frown crossed his face. He had just finished his sandwich, and he pushed the plate across the island. "Can we please not talk about boobs anymore?"

"Jake, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were gay sometimes," Bella said, shaking her head.

Renesmee giggled. He wasn't gay, not by a long shot.

_"I hate having to hear guys talk about your ass, because then I have to look at it and think, well, yeah, it is nice…"_

Jacob thought she had a nice ass. She was highly suspicious he liked her boobs, as well.

There was a little noise of disgust from the dining room, and she giggled again. _I'm sorry, daddy._

It was the reason she'd worn short shorts.

"Out!" Her father roared from the dining room, and Renesmee hopped from the counter and raced out to the garage, laughing hysterically.

She climbed behind the wheel of her temporary car, frowning as she adjusted the seats. Her father's car was always adjusted for his long legs, and her feet couldn't even touch the pedals.

"I can't believe he's making me drive this piece of shit," she growled as Jacob got in next to her.

He raised his eyebrows. "It's a Volvo, kid. It's a nice car."

"It's older than me," she said, "and I cannot drive a car that's older than me."

Jacob snapped his fingers as she started the engine and backed out. "Ah, that's right. That's why I can't let you drive my Camaro."

She rolled her eyes. "That car is your girlfriend," she muttered. "You wouldn't let me drive it if I begged."

He grinned over at her. "It might be fun to watch."

She peeled out of the driveway then, racing through the trees. Jacob actually reached up for the "oh shit" handle and clutched it.

"Oh, come on," she chastised as she made the turn onto the highway and raced at high speeds down the road. "I'm an excellent driver."

Jacob burst out laughing. "'Dad lets me go slow around the driveway every Saturday,'" he quoted.

"Shut up," she growled.

She rolled her eyes. He actually was quiet for several minutes, so she tried to think of something intelligent to say to him. Instead, she asked a question that had been in the back of her mind for several minutes, now. "So are you coming with us to Chicago?" she asked, curious. Could he stand to be that far away from her?

Could she stand to be that far away from him?

"Yeah," he said. "I'm getting my own apartment again. And I'm cheering for the Cubs while I'm there."

"Fail, Jake," she sighed. "You're supposed to give me whatever I want."

"It's the White Sox, kid," he said, shaking his head with disdain. "I can't do it. My heart's just not in it."

"You suck." Jacob held tight again as she turned onto another road. "You're just pissed because they get to go to the World Series from time to time." She cocked her head off to the side. "How many times have the Mariners been?" He was silent, scowling now. "Oh, that's right—they've never gone! They suck!" She laughed. "Jealous much?"

"Whatever," he said, still frowning. "My team's got heart."

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "So do the Nationals. Funny, they've never been to the Series, either."

"You know, I love that you love sports." He shook his head. "Pretty girls don't usually like sports."

"I like hockey, too," she said, grinning.

"I know, and I appreciate it. But do you have to rub it in that your team repeatedly beats mine?" He threw up his hands, and she tried not to giggle. This was really getting on his nerves. "I mean, I have you hockey—I can't give you baseball, too!"

"Oh, hush." She was trying to bite it back.

"At least my football team didn't score one touch down at the beginning of the Super Bowl, then fail the rest of the game."

Insulting the Bears was the last straw. She felt the smile drop and replace instantly with a frown. "Shut up. I don't want to be pissed off before the bonfire."

"Oh, she's scary today," he said, and his voice was full of teasing. "She's ready to party, she's ready to dance."

"I will hit you," she warned.

Like the complete jackass that he could sometimes be, he bounced up and down in his seat as best he could, clapping his hands together. "Oh, my _God_ you're totally excited!"

It was getting difficult to hide the smile that threatened to cross her face. "It'll be to a kidney."

His voice was sing-song, like some bad R&B song. "Gonna be a bad girl, get her drink on!" Maybe her mom had a point with the looking gay thing. Still, it was a little funny...

"You're an idiot," she muttered, pulling off the road and parking behind Emily's car. Quick as a flash, she turned off the car, unbuckled, opened the door, and reached over to whack him in the gut.

"Oh, shit," he grunted, and he struggled to open his own door. She danced away from the car.

"I warned you," she sang, laughing with delight as Jacob got out of the car, still gasping for air.

"Jesus, you hit hard," he grunted, closing the door.

"You were making fun of me." She shrugged. "And I did give you warning. I didn't do anything I didn't tell you about first."

"I thought you were kidding."

Another door slammed behind them, and Renesmee rolled her eyes when she heard Embry laughing.

"She get ya?" he asked, slapping a hand down on Jacob's back. Jacob took a mock swing at him, and they scuffled over toward where the fire burned brightly on the edge of the cliff.

"Hey, Nessie!" Emily waved over at her.

Emily got to her feet, and Renesmee felt a little stab of something she could not yet articulate. Emily was eight months pregnant with twins. Her tiny frame now supported an enormous stomach. Sam had to lift her, but he did so smiling, supremely happy.

Renesmee burst out laughing. "Oh, my God," she said, walking over to hug the other woman. "You're huge!"

Emily patted her massive belly. "There's two of them in there," she said, laughing. "And the sooner they're out, the better! Sam's about done with my hormones, I think," she added, smiling over at her husband. He leaned over to press a kiss to the tip of her nose.

"I don't mind it," he said. "I just don't enjoy getting up at one in the morning and having to vacate because your gas is so bad."

Emily gently swatted the back of his head. "They're not that bad," she defended herself.

"Mom farts," Quil chimed in, grinning. "All moms have lethal farts. You're just getting warmed up, Em."

"You guys aren't much better." Kim gave Jared an elbow, laughing. "His are disgusting—and they're so loud!" She glanced over at Nessie. "Jake's the biggest, so I bet his are the worst." She winked when Nessie snorted with laughter. "Want a drink?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jake doing a tiny version of his girl dance from the car and she gave his arm a good slap.

"Ow!" He shifted away from her. "Jesus, take a joke, kid."

"Not funny." She turned back to Kim. "Yes, please."

"Jake," Kim called. His head turned toward her. "Switch me spots, please? You can have her back in a minute."

"Don't know if I want to sit by her, anyway," he grumbled, rubbing his arm. "I'm gonna end up with a broken bone. I at least have a bruise."

Renesmee shrugged as Kim sat down next to her. "Don't make fun of someone who's strong enough to bruise you." She would never tell him she felt a little bad, that she missed him by her side already, that she was just a little testy today.

Jared laughed at this, and Jacob frowned. "How'd you like it if Kim was as strong as Leah?"

The girls giggled and Kim held up a bottle. "I got us a bunch of wine to share," she said, grinning. She held up her other hand, and Renesmee laughed at the plastic cups she held.

"Classy," she giggled, but she felt little flips in her stomach as Kim uncorked the bottle easily and poured a glass for each of them.

And so began the love affair of Renesmee Carlie Cullen and Riesling.

She quickly found out it took a lot of wine to make her actually feel at all inebriated, but she also found she liked the flavor. Its scent was like a bouquet of aromas, each individual, but adding to a whole.

Kim was full of information on the subject of wine. Her cheeks grew rosy, and she became very chatty. She was able to tell Renesmee all about the delicious German Riesling they were drinking—how it was grown, the flavors, and the alcohol content.

After talking for fifteen minutes straight, she finally stopped talking. Renesmee shook her head a little, as if to waken herself, blinked, and burst into hysterics. She wasn't sure why, actually. Kim was suddenly just very funny.

"Nice going, Kim," Jared said, and his face was a little red, like Kim's. "You got her drunk."

Renesmee grinned. She was drunk. This thought also struck her as funny.

"You're not drinking, Jake?" Paul's voice was _so_ annoying. Her laugh cut off, and she scowled at him for being a buzz kill. The man should not be allowed to speak. "What's the matter with you?"

Jacob just shrugged. "Don't feel like it." He reached for another hot dog. Where on earth he put everything, she'd never know.

"Lame ass." Judging by the massive beer can pyramid Paul was building, it seemed like maybe he'd had a few himself. "Don't know how you can turn down a cold beer."

Again, Jacob shrugged.

"Hey, Jake?" She tried to change the subject. "Where's Seth?"

"Don't know," he said, sighing. "I texted him a little while ago. He didn't answer."

"Let's go get him!" Leaving for a little bit suddenly sounded like a good idea. "We can drive over and pick him up, bring him back here. It's no fun without Seth."

"But you've got me, Princess," Paul said, laughing. "I'm fun!"

"I will punch you in the face," she shot back, pointing at him, "if you call me 'Princess' one more time." Asshole knew how much she disguised his nickname.

"She's serious, dude," Embry said, his voice warning and a little slurred. "And she leaves bruises." He got to his feet. "Come on, guys, I'll go with you."

Renesmee stood up, a little too quickly, and Jacob was at her side in a second to catch her. Paul laughed. "Don't fall down—you might hurt somebody."

She gritted her teeth and started to walk back to the car.

"I do not like Paul when he's drunk," she announced when they were just far enough away for him not to hear. "He's kind of a jackass."

"He's always a jackass," Jacob muttered. Apparently, he was still in his funk from earlier today.

"Don't worry about Paul," Embry said, sticking his hands in his pockets. "He's just jealous you got the hotter girl." He winked at Nessie. "No offence to Rachel."

"I'm not his girl," she said. "Jacob doesn't date."

"Oh." Embry frowned. "So you guys aren't…"

"We aren't nothing!" Nessie waved her hands in the air and Jacob, walking next to her, dodged slightly to keep out of her way. She laughed and reached for Embry's arm to pull him close and whisper, "He did tell me I have a nice butt."

Embry burst out laughing and Jacob turned beet red. "I did not," he grumbled.

"You did, too!"

"Jesus, Ness, you don't have to yell! I'm right here." Embry laughed again.

She turned her attention back to Embry. "He did, too," she defended.

"Give me your keys," Jacob said. "You're not driving."

"Yes, no drinking and driving," she said, putting her right hand up and making her face severe. "I promised my parents."

"Do they know you're drinking?"

Was that rhetorical? "Of course they do." She snorted. "When do they not know everything about everything? I have a mind reader for a father, Embry." She staggered a little closer to him, and he held out his hands in case he needed to catch her. "If I wanted to pick my nose, he'd know."

"Then don't pick your nose."

"I don't pick my nose." Jacob was holding the car door open for her now, and she walked to climb in. "I—oof!"

Jacob and Embry both burst out laughing as her feet went out from under her and she landed, hard, on the pavement. She scowled up at them and tried to stand. Everything was wobbly all of a sudden. For a moment, she was angry that Jacob was laughing at her. But when the tears started rolling down his face, she happened to think he hadn't been nearly as funny since his dad had gotten sick.

And it was pretty funny.

Fifteen minutes later, still snorting with laughter, they pulled up at the Clearwater's. Nobody moved when Jake put the car in park on the side of the street, leaving the motor running.

"His car's here," Embry said. "Wonder why?"

"Dunno." Renesmee grinned. "I'm going to go sneak up on him."

"No, I've got an idea." Embry was almost giggling at this point. "We sneak around back, right? He's probably in his room. Tap on his window, scare the shit out of him, then run for it."

"That's stupid." Renesmee rolled her eyes. "Run where?"

"Into the woods."

"And leave the car here?" She reached up to tap Embry on the head. "He'd know it was us."

"Your family can come onto the reservation now," he responded, "if one of us is with him. He'll probably think it was your dad and your uncles pranking him with some of the guys. They do it all the time."

"How about we move the car, sneak up, then run back to the car and drive away?"

Jacob was still vibrating with laughter. "You guys are so stupid," he spluttered, tears starting up.

"No!" Embry held up his hands. "Shit! I totally forgot! There's air horns in this car!"

Jacob stopped laughing, and Renesmee cocked her head, confused.

Embry rolled his eyes. "Emmett and your dad were going to try to scare your mom and Rosalie one night, but they wanted us to go too so the girls wouldn't smell them. Didn't work. Rosalie was pissed." He grinned. "But they bought extras, and hid them in the trunk."

"Yeah, and that's where we failed," Jacob said. Both of them were ignoring Renesmee now, and she wondered vaguely exactly how many pranks they had helped her uncles pull. "We need a better distraction."

"What do you wanna do?" Embry squinted up at the house. "We know he's home—the lights are on."

"And Sue's gone," Jacob said. "So he's by himself."

"We could call him."

"No, because last time I called him he didn't answer." Jacob shook his head. "Maybe he's just really stoned."

"Wait!" Embry's face lit up with a grin. "I have an idea."

Two minutes later, Renesmee, trying very hard not to laugh, made her way up the front walk to the Clearwater's. After a few months of coming and going from Minnesota to Seattle, Renesmee had come to treat Sue's little house like a second home. She came and went as she pleased, usually without so much as a knock. Totally normal.

"Seth?" Renesmee glanced around. "Hello?"

There was a scrambling sound, then Seth came out of his room, coughing. He grinned at her, and his eyes were bright red. "Hey, Ness!" He bounded down the hall, picking her up and swinging her around. "What you up to, girl?"

_Distracting you so you won't hear your friends coming up in five mintues to scare the shit out of you._ "Nothing," she said, and the smile was trying very, very hard to make its way onto her face.

Seth took a little sniff of the air between them, then he laughed. "You're drunk!" he exclaimed with glee.

She laughed. "Yep."

Seth's smile was a little devilish, now. "So that means you're going to smoke with me." He grabbed her hand and dragged her back. He was almost bouncing, he was so excited.

She had five minutes until Jacob showed up. Why the hell not?

No way in hell she was going home tonight. Hell, she'd sleep on Billy's couch, or Emily's.

Six minutes later, she was peering over Seth's shoulder, her mouth hanging open slightly, and watching a video on YouTube. She was completely entranced, and she jumped, screaming, before she burst out laughing when there was the loud sound of an air horn going off outside. She jumped because she'd forgotten they were coming, and had screamed because it startled her. But Seth's reaction was too funny.

In a few of the medical books she'd been reading, she had read the description of a seizure, and she thought maybe this was a good way to describe Seth's motion. Or maybe spastic. Or someone spastic having a seizure. Either way, he twitched, jumped, and fell backward out of his chair. His face was a mask of shock and confusion. And when he landed, he scrambled to get to his feet.

From outside, the sound of laughter reached their ears and Seth staggered, laughing hysterically, toward the open window.

"Ass holes," he laughed, and he climbed out the window.

* * *

Getting in the car with Renesmee and Seth was kind of like watching _Dumb and Dumber_. He'd probably be angry with Seth later for getting Nessie high, but he couldn't deny that it was pretty funny. The whites of her eyes were bright red, and she had a goofy grin on her face.

"Hey, Jake," she said, as they climbed into the car. "That was awesome." She giggled.

"I aim to please, my dear," he said formally.

"I have a question." Seth's voice sounded from the backseat. "Is there going to be any food left when I get there?"

"Don't know," Jake muttered. "We left Paul there."

"Paul's an ass hole," Renesmee announced, and Embry snorted with laughter. She turned to look at him. "No, for real. He's the most insensitive jerk I've ever met. He doesn't deserve Rachel's pinky toe."

That did it. Jacob laughed the entire way back to the cliffs. She was so genuine and honest. In the past, she'd always been polite to Paul—a little snarky with him at times, but overall, polite. He'd had no idea she felt this way, and hearing her say it like that made him so delighted with her, he had no choice but to laugh.

He was still laughing when he parked behind Emily's car, where they'd been before. Nobody else had left or showed up. Seth jostled to get out of the car as quickly as possible, and Nessie giggled as he went racing toward the table where there were actually several more large packages of hot dogs. Emily didn't fuck around.

"I kind of want one," Nessie whispered as they came within range of the fire's heat. "Is that bad?"

Jake blinked. "Have you ever even tried one?"

"No," she said, glancing over at Seth again. "But I'm really hungry." She trotted over to Seth and leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"Dude." Paul's obnoxious voice broke in. "Did you just say you've never tried a hot dog?" He snorted, throwing back the rest of his beer. "What the fuck is the matter with you?"

Renesmee's head snapped back to look at Paul, and Jacob was pleased to see the dangerous glint in her eyes. "Shut your mouth, Paul," she ordered. "Nobody wants to hear you talk." Jacob could hear the soft, warning growl in her throat. It was faint, but it was present, and it seemed enough of a reminder to Paul about exactly what she could handle. He grew quiet, and Rachel smirked a little at his side.

Then she sat back down where she'd been before, next to Kim and the Reisling. Kim was giggling uncontrollably now and she poured another glass for Renesmee.

The rest of the night was easy going after that. Renesmee tried her first hot dog, declaring that it was not as good as steak, but that it was, nevertheless, tasty. She actually ate three before they left a few hours later. Jacob had to half carry her to the car. She was still pretty high, and more than a little drunk. He supported her around the waist and gently eased her into the car. Embry waved to him—he was getting a ride home with Emily and Sam.

"You know what?" she asked him once he'd turned around and was heading back down toward La Push. "I think I had fun. Like, a lot of fun." She rested her head back against her seat. "But before you take me home, I need one favor."

"Okay," he said slowly.

"I need to stop by your house so I can change clothes." She smiled sheepishly. "I don't think getting high was an okayed activity for tonight."

"I can't believe Seth smokes in the house when he knows Charlie could show up at any time," Jacob said, shaking his head.

"Charlie and Sue went to Napa Valley for the weekend," she said, grinning. "He's got until Sunday night alone."

"Nice." Jacob pulled into his driveway. "You can shower too, if you want. They'd probably smell it in your hair."

"Then they'll want to know why my hair is wet," she pointed out.

He rolled his eyes. "You gotta learn how to lie, kid." Perhaps now was a good time to pass on some of his wisdom to her. "I've known your dad longer than you have. And if you can really convince yourself of something, he won't catch on. Just say you fell in. Maybe text your mom first and tell her to shield."

"Fell in the ocean?" She blinked. "I'm drunk enough, I probably could have. Or I decided to take a midnight swim with Kim."

The thought of her naked was way too tempting, and he was going to be way too tired to beat off tonight. "Fell in works better."

"Whatever. I'm texting mom."

They made their way inside, and Jacob watched as she made her way to the bathroom. "Yell if you need anything," he said. Then he winced. Like that wouldn't be awkward, or anything.

She just disappeared around the corner, into the bathroom.

Jacob hadn't taken stock of the house. It wasn't silent, like he would expect. He could hear someone moving, the squeak of wheels on a wheelchair. His dad was out of bed. He sniffed the air. Carlisle was here. There was no car, so he must have run.

"Hey, son." Billy came around the corner, pushed by Carlisle. Carlisle's face betrayed nothing. He looked like this was normal. "You have fun?"

"Yeah." Jacob could hear his own voice, and it sounded lame. "I—uh—Nessie's taking a shower."

Billy turned his head. "I thought I heard her voice." Billy frowned slightly. "Why is she taking a shower?"

"Jake!" Nessie's voice was loud. She clearly wasn't paying any attention to him. "Grab me some clean clothes, will you? My dad'll flip if he smells weed on my clothes."

Every so often, Jacob would encounter a rare and cliche slapping of the forehead moment. This was one of them. "Oh, my God," he groaned. He shot past his father and his imprint's grandfather and into his bedroom. He grabbed a spare set of her shorts and a tank top. Then he darted into the bathroom, not stopping to knock.

"Jake?"

"I brought you some clothes," he whispered, as quietly as he could. Hopefully Carlisle wouldn't hear. "Your grandpa's here."

The shower shut off. "Huh?"

"Your grandfather is in the living room," he whispered.

He swore he heard her heart stop for a second before she hissed, "Fuck!" Her arm darted out, feeling for a towel. He handed her one. "How long has he been here?"

"The whole time." Naked woman in his shower. He shook his head. Right now, she didn't need a stalker. She needed backup. She needed her friend, Jake.

"Shit!" Her head poked out, but the curtain covered everything. She held out her hand. "Toss me my underwear."

"You're joking, right?" He stared at her, a little shocked. It was like she was forcing him to the point where he would have to jack it after she left. Hell, maybe in the car on the way home.

"Dude, get with the fucking program!" She snapped her fingers at him, and he blinked, trying to clear his head. "Seriously, Jake, please just stop being a guy for a second!" Her eyes narrowed. "Imagine Paul naked."

God bless this girl. He tossed the entire pile, and turned away while she dug out her underwear and bra. _That_, he didn't need to see. It may put him over the edge, and she wasn't ready for that just yet. When her hand came out again, he handed her the fresh clothes. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Oh, God," she muttered. He could hear her hopping around, heard a zipper, then the curtain flew open. Her eyes were huge. "I have no idea."

She scrambled out of the shower, and he flung open the door. Both of them froze.

"What were _you_ two doing in the bathroom together?"

Fucking Paul stood with eyebrows raised. Behind him, Rachel was bobbing up and down.

"You guys, I gotta pee," she said, her voice pleading.

Jacob was promptly pushed out of the bathroom, and Nessie was closing the door on Rachel a second later.

"I was taking a shower," Renesmee said, and her cheeks flamed.

"Did we interrupt you?" Paul laughed.

Jacob was slightly in front of Renesmee, and he could feel and see in his peripheral vision, that she was starting to shift behind him, agitated. It was a red flag to anyone that knew her. "Shut up, Paul."

"Oh, come on, she knows I'm joking," he said, laughing. The sound, annoying on any other day, today made him want to toss him out to sea. He turned to Renesmee, a grin on his face. "You know I'm kidding, don't you, Princess?"

It was no secret to anyone that Renesmee Cullen took after her father when it came to her temper. It matched her fiery hair and flared up as suddenly as a brush fire in July. Pissing her off was something none of either pack did intentionally, unless they expected to be hit. And in Paul's defense, maybe he thought he'd get a little shove that might bruise, or a jab to the gut, which was usual for her.

Instead, she did like her mother before her. She yanked back her fist and punched Paul square in the face.

Blood sprayed everywhere, and Jacob watched, trying not to laugh, when Paul grabbed his face. "Fuck!" he shouted. Carlisle was there a second later, his lips twisting this way and that as he tried not to smile. "Shit! I think you broke my nose!"

"Yes, I'd say that's broken," Carlisle said, examining Paul's face.

"That's what you get for being a jackass," Renesmee said, her voice elevated, as she pointed at him across the hall. "Fuck you."

The bathroom door opened, and Rachel came out, looking shocked. "Paul, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," he said, his voice muffled.

"Oh, bull shit." Rachel had her arms crossed now, and was frowning.

"You keep your mouth shut around me and we won't have anymore problems," Renesmee said, her words starting to slur a little. She was still completely wasted. "Got it?"

A laugh erupted from the living room, but it wasn't the one Jacob had expected to hear.

It was Billy.

He was leaning forward in his chair, laughing harder than Jacob had seen him laugh in a while. His eyes were barely able to stay open as he cackled in delight at his son in law. "I just remembered," he spluttered. "Brady... Bunch."

They all stared at him for a second, and this time, it was Carlisle who started to laugh with him.

"Maybe you should take me home now, Jake." Renesmee was standing with her arms crossed. "Paul's probably going to be here for a bit, and I would hate to break something he might need later."

This made Billy and Carlisle laugh harder. The scowl on Paul's busted up face didn't help things, either.

So they trekked back out to the car, and Jacob found himself chuckling at a memory of his own.

"I love a good joke," she said, smiling cutely over the center console at him as he backed out.

"I was just remembering the time your mom punched me in the face." He laughed.

Renesmee blinked. "When did she do that?"

"Before you were born." He grinned at her, knowing the next part would get under her skin. "Right after I kissed her."

Her response was immediate and adorable. She put her hands over her ears. "Ew! Not listening!"

Jacob burst out laughing again. She hadn't been happy to find out about that one, but true to her usual fashion, she was furious for two minutes before being over it entirely. "No more, I promise."

She took her hands away as the radio started to play, and he glanced sidelong at her for a moment while she rolled down the window and stuck her feet out. She looked so relaxed and happy. It seemed she felt his gaze, and glanced back at him. A small smile lit her face. "I had fun," she stated.

"I'm glad."

He turned back to the road, and she cocked her head off to one side, listening to the music a bit more closely. "I think this song's about me," she said, listening as the chorus played again.

She started singing along with the song, giggling when the lyrics reminded her of her parents, undoubetly. She laughed while he sang along, loud and proud, in his horrible voice. But she seemed to laugh harder, singing along and cranking the volume as loud as it would go.

He walked her to her door when they reached her house, making sure she wasn't too wobbly.

She swung the door open, and both of them froze. Her parents were on opposite ends of the spacious living room, completely still. Her mother wore a pair of leggings and one of her dad's button up shirts. Her father was holding a pair of handcuffs, crouched to spring.

"You'll never catch me!" he shrieked, and raced out the front door laughing like a maniac.

"Get back here!" her mother shouted after him. "Charlie'll wonder where those went!" Then she was gone, too.

It was too fucking funny.

And so they started laughing again.

_a/n Went to a show the other night and the drummer from Cheap Trick was there. He got up on stage and let me tell you, he doesn't fuck around. So it was that "Surrender" by Cheap Trick wormed its wayin. _


	14. House

_a/n To allow for a little perspective, last chapter was teenager Nessie and written from a teenaged perspective on life, which is significantly different that a rational adult. Set a little over two years after last chapter. Enjoy : )_

_**HOUSE**_

Renesmee shoved the final box onto the truck, glancing once more back to the luxurious home that had been her most recent home. It was a home that, like others before it, she had shared with her parents, living under their rules and regulations.

But she could no longer restrain herself with rules that did not make sense, when looked at rationally, and it seemed silly to try any longer. She'd be married in a month, after all.

Heaving a sigh, she walked back up the front walk and in the front door. Her father was sitting on the couch, arms folded over his chest, watching a ball game.

"Who's winning?" she asked softly.

"Cleavland's up by two," he muttered. His eyes darted out the front window. "All packed?"

"Yep. Just put on the last box." She smiled slightly, reaching for his parka. "Ready to go? Mom's got to be there by now."

He shut off the TV and rose from the sofa, taking his coat and pulling it on more slowly than was normal. "We could stay and watch the rest of the game if you want," he said, a last ditch attempt to get her to stay. "We don't have to go yet."

A small, almost sad smile crossed her face. "We really need to get going. Mom and Jake are already there, and it would be rude to make them wait."

"Of course." They walked out the front door, and as he locked up, he asked, "Do you have the keys?"

"In the ignition."

The walk down the drive was silent, except for the sound of raindrops hitting and bouncing together. She climbed up into the passenger seat of the big moving truck, glancing briefly as her father climbed into the driver's seat. Maybe it was mean to make him drive to her new home, away from her parents, but she really didn't think she could handle this beast.

Edward laughed at this. "Glad to see you know your limitations," he said, chuckling, as he pulled onto the street.

"I think there's a reason you never taught me about driving stuff like this," she teased. "Want to make me stay dependent on you."

"Is that so bad?" He smiled a little, and it was another sad smile. "I'd like to think my only daughter still needs a father for something."

"Oh, come on, daddy." She rolled her eyes. "I'm moving across town. I'm not going that far."

"I know."

"You're worse than mom," she said, smiling as she gazed out the window at the rainy streets. "Going on and on about making sure I know how to cook. Like I haven't had that figured out since age three."

He smiled a little, but his attention stayed on the road. Whatever he was thinking, he wasn't in the mood to share. He wasn't angry anymore, she decided—just a little sad.

_Getting a job had been step one. Moving would be step two._

_When Jacob showed her photos of the house he was thinking of buying, she'd squealed with delight._

"_It's so cute!" she'd cried, not really comprehending what this house was._

"_You like it?" His eyes had sparkled. "Because you're going to live there, too."_

_She'd blinked. They were getting married in three months. This was going to be her house._

_He'd nuzzled up next to her. "I'd like it if you just moved in with me," he said. "We'll have it available before the wedding. Doesn't make sense to wait."_

_So she went home to tell her parents she was moving out. She expected thrown plates, yelling, screaming, orders being barked at her..._

_Instead, her parents sat on the couch opposite her while she explained._

"_Jake's going to close on the house in probably a month and a half or so," she said, wringing her hands a little. "And his lease is up right around then, so he's just going to move. We were thinking I should probably just move in, too." This made a lot more sense, and she had had a lot more reasons to back up her choice ten minutes ago._

_Her father's clenching fists kind of made her forget._

"_I mean, I'm going to be paying for it, too, so it seems silly not to... live... there." She tugged her bottom lip with her teeth, nervous._

"_What do you mean you're going to be paying for it?" her father bust out. Renesmee jumped a little, and so did her mother. "Can't that boy even put a decent house over your head without putting you in debt?"_

_Renesmee fought back the word vomit that wanted to escape. "Normal people have house payments, daddy. He's made the down payment on his own. I'm just going to help pay the bills." He spluttered a little at this. "Normal couples pay bills, daddy. And it's not the forties—he's not the only one working. I got a job so I could support _myself_, and that's what I'm doing. Jake makes more than me, anyway. He's that shop's manager already, you know."_

"_That's not the point." Her father was pacing now, back and forth, from the piano to where his wife was seated in a wingback chair. "The point is, you shouldn't live with him until you're married. That was the initial plan, was it not?"_

"_Yes," she responded. She was fighting to keep her annoyance at him under control, forcing herself to remember that his ideas of love and marriage were much more old fashioned than hers. She knew her parents had gotten married before losing their virginity together—that had come out some time ago. She knew her father disapproved of the physical parts of her relationship with Jacob._

_But the physical had come long after the emotional._

"_Plans change, daddy," she said softly, continuing their conversation. "I know you don't approve, but you're a hundred years older than me. Jake and I would be on a chaperoned walk right now if it was up to you. But it's my life, and I'm happy you were here for this part, but now I need to try something different."_

"_What if something unexpected happens?" He was grabbing at straws. "The economy is terrible. What if one of you loses your job? Do you have enough savings between both of you?" He was still angry._

"_Daddy, Jacob is a smart man. You've said it yourself," she reminded him, and he grimaced. One more deep breath, and she felt a little clearer. "And you know I have plenty of savings. You can see my bank account."_

"_So you'd let him live off you?"_

"_The way mom and I live off you?" She raised her eyebrows. _Be careful, daddy. I'm trying to be nice. This doesn't have to be a big thing.

"_Edward, this is silly." Her mother's voice cut in, silent until now. "Neither of them are going to get laid off. People need cars fixed, and you're forgetting that Jake owns two shops now. And Renesmee's job isn't gong anywhere, either. They'll be fine." Her voice sounded kind of thick, like she wanted to cry._

_Her father could grumble all he want—she understood his reasons for not wanting her to go. But she couldn't bear to see her mother upset. She crossed the room, climbing into her mother's chair and snuggling up to her. "I'll come back and visit," she said. "And you come visit me, too."_

"_Oh, I will." Her mother's arms wrapped around her and she gave a shaky laugh. "I just don't know what I'm going to do with all my spare time."_

_Renesmee raised her eyebrows. "What do you normally do with your spare time?" she said, her voice heavy with suggestion._

_Her mother giggled, a teenager again._

"_Yeah. You'll be fine."_

A bump that made her bounce in her seat brought her back to the present. She blinked, glancing at her father again. After his initial annoyance, he'd seemed like her mother had that first day—kind of sad.

"Of course I'm sad," he said, still looking straight ahead. "You're my only child, and you're moving out. I barely got to watch you grow up, now I have to watch you leave and get married."

"The wedding's not for a month," she said, smiling slightly. "At least you don't have to deal with it all at once. Besides, it'll be nice having me around less."

His face twisted up in confusion, and he looked at her. "Why would you say that?"

She burst out laughing. _I'm sure I wasn't the easiest daughter._ Her mind flashed back to her "teen" time—coming home late, drunk, and whatever else. All the fights she'd had with her father.

He chuckled at this. "That's because you're mine."

"Right." Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"No, really," he laughed. "I wasn't the easiest teenager either, from what I can recall."

"Really?" This spiked her curiosity. As well as she knew her father now, she knew so little of what he was like as a human, especially compared with the volumes she knew of her mother.

"I used to sneak out at night to go hear the ragtime music. You could only ever hear it in bars and at burlesque theaters, and a few friends of mine and I used to sit outside and listen. Got my ears boxed the few times I was caught." He laughed again.

"Wow." Her father, the rebel. The thought made her giggle.

"I was, like you, well behaved most of the time, you see, so my mother and father could never understand why I snuck out." He grinned. "Mostly, it was only because I could."

"Perfectly legitimate reason for a teenager," she said, nodding and still laughing a little.

"You don't associate yourself with being a teenager anymore," he said thoughtfully, turning onto the freeway. "Have you noticed that?"

"Not until you said anything." She frowned down at her body. "I don't really look like a teenager anymore, and I don't feel like one."

"Carlisle estimates your growth stopped around twenty three or so," he said. "It's the best estimate he can make. You don't feel like a teenager because you aren't one." He grinned. "Your hormones seem to have balanced out."

"That's good to know," Renesmee replied, resting her head back. "I wasn't a very fun teenager."

"You weren't too bad." His attention returned to the road. "You've grown up a lot in the last year."

"I feel older."

"You've had to deal with a lot of big things."

Big things. Billy dying, losing her virginity to Jacob, moving to Chicago and experiencing city life, driving, getting a job... Yes, these were big things.

"We bought a house." Renesmee blinked. "I still can't believe I have enough saved up for a house."

"I know." Her father's voice also sounded a little disbelieving. "You're a good little saver. Like your mom." He grinned. "Thankfully, you seemed to inherit _some_ of her sensibilities."

"More of yours, maybe."

"Healthy balance," he chuckled, reaching over to muss her hair. She giggled and reached up to take his hand. She held it in his lap, showing him all the wonderful things she'd purchased for the house.

He blinked at one point. "That's an interesting choice," he said, smiling. "Kaufman?"

"I like him as much as Warhol." She grinned. "Why not?"

She'd taken a few days off work to paint, and she was hoping that everything would go together alright. Everything had been purchased. They were almost finished moving. She was starting her own life, on her own...

She was a grownup. A year ago, she'd been an angry, bratty teenager. Now she was fully grown, and moving out. The excitement took her breath away. They were getting married, and maybe eventually...

"You have to remember that eventually could be the key word there," her father said, bringing her back to the cab of the truck. He still held her hand, and he squeezed it softly.

_Maybe_ was the keyword, she thought bitterly. Not even Carlisle was aware of her biggest fear. Only her father, who could read her mind regardless of whether or not she held his hand, was aware of this.

"I don't think maybe," he said thoughtfully. "You're finished growing, but the..." His mouth twisted, and she giggled. "...mechanics are still in working order. To be frank, I think you've got a pretty good chance still. It's just tricky."

Tricky was an understatement. She and Jacob had talked a little about what would happen after the wedding, as far as their family were concerned.

Jacob didn't want children yet—he didn't think they were ready. He didn't think _she_ was ready. It had hurt her a little when he'd said that to her, but at least he'd been honest, which was more than she could say.

"I tend to side with Jacob," Edward said, grimacing a little. "I think, as your father and one of your doctors, that you've got plenty of time."

"Turn here." She wasn't having this conversation. She stubbornly thought of the periodic table of elements.

"What's wrong?"

She exhaled sharply. "I don't like talking about the inner workings of my lady parts with you, daddy. It's awkward."

"You won't speak with your grandfather about it," he said, and he sounded frustrated. This made her smile a little, this knowledge that some things would never change. "What else am I supposed to do? Let you sit there and be miserable? You're my only child, and I can't bear to see you unhappy. It's the only reason I'm driving this damned truck right now—because I know that what I'm driving to will make you happy."

"Aw." She grinned at him. "You're sweet, dad."

"Hush." He huffed a little, and she laughed with delight. He frowned at her new thought, which made her laugh even harder. "That's an overexageration."

"Oh, no," she laughed, clutching her sides now. "I think you might be _worse _than Grandpa Charlie."

"He's where I learned how to be protective of a daughter," he defended himself. "I can completely understand his logic now."

"You going to show Jake your wide variety of guns?" she teased.

"I'm going to show him my teeth and vow to rip his throat out if he ever hurts you."

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "Dad, when has Jacob ever hurt me?"

His responsive was defensive. "There's a first time for everything."

"Oh, shut up." She pointed down the street. "We're almost there. Last house on the right before the cul-de-sac." For as much as he'd seen it in her mind, he still hadn't seen the house. She was a little nervous when the pulled up.

It was an older house in an older, but still respectable, neighborhood. She doubted any house here had been built after 1950, but it the area was a historic district. Her home had been well maintained over the years, and was in very nice shape. A little help from Emmett and Esme had made it perfect.

"It's smaller than I thought you'd go for," her father commented.

"It's still two stories," she said. "It's a lot of room for two people."

He nodded, concentrating more than was necessary as he backed into the driveway. There were several cars parked out front. Her mother's new Lexus was parked in front of Charlie's cruiser. Jake's Camaro was already in the garage, and she rolled her eyes.

Edward laughed at this. "You just don't appreciate a fine piece of machinery the way some of us do," he chided teasingly. "Jacob put his heart and soul and twenty thousand dollars into that car. It needs to be parked in the garage." He put the truck in park and engaged the brake.

"Shut up and help me with boxes."

The rest of the day was spent unpacking the living room and kitchen before stopping so Jacob and Charlie, who were beginning to moan with hunger, could eat. While her parents continued moving boxes around, Renesmee parked herself in the kitchen with her fiance and grandfather. It was of no surprise that their conversation centered around cars.

"I've got room in there to work on whatever I want to do," Jacob was saying around a mouthful of pasta salad. "I'm thinking about fixing up another Shelby."

"Did a hell of a job on that first one," Charlie said, nodding. "Would make sense to do it again."

"I might wait a while, though." Jacob took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Wait until we're all settled in and everything." He winked at Renesmee, and she felt her stomach flip.

Charlie pushed his plate away. "Thank God I'm finished," he muttered.

They emerged from the kitchen to find that a good deal of the rest of the house had been unpacked. The bathrooms were now stocked, extra linens neatly stacked on shelves in closets, beds covered with clean sheets and comforters. The huge, new bed was fluffy and looked inviting, but she knew she should wait until after everyone was gone until she took a nap.

* * *

As soon as everyone was out of the house four hours later, Jacob watched as Renesmee dragged her feet, heading upstairs to take a nap. Poor girl was completely exhausted. He could leave her alone until dinner.

A series of thoughts occurred to him at that moment, and he frowned. He was a terrible cook. She was going to sleep, probably for an hour or two. It was six o'clock now, and he was hungry.

He'd be damned if he woke her up just because he couldn't cook.

When she came downstairs an hour later, he had managed to make a complete mess of the previously spotless kitchen. The formerly gleaming counter tops were covered with vegetable peelings, grease, and whatever else he'd managed to get on them. The only thing he'd managed to make were the vegetables, and he felt terrible and completely embarrassed.

She blinked at the mess. "What happened?" she asked, her voice a little muddled by sleep.

"I tried to make dinner," he explained lamely. "I wanted to make something nice." He hung his head.

He half expected her to freak out over the condition of the new counters, but just like it so often did did, it rolled right off of her with a laugh and a smile. "You're sweet," she said, smiling. She walked over to him and wrapped him in a tight hug. "You poor man, you're probably starving."

He nodded, feeling pathetic. The only thing he really knew how to do, he realized, was breakfast.

She turned him back to the living room, still smiling. "Go sit down," she said, shaking her head. "I'll make dinner."

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I fail at cooking."

Her chocolate eyes twinkled with... something. It was the same look she shared with her dad—the one that meant there was something else that she was up to, aside from dinner. "That's okay, baby," she said. "I'll cut you a deal—if you bring home the bacon, I'll cook and clean and bring home the spending money."

He held out his hand. She shook his, grinning from ear to ear. "Deal."

"Now out," she ordered. "I've got work to do."

Making his way to what was already becoming his favorite chair, Jacob sat down in his new living room. He was proud of this place.

Jacob had known this would be in the cards at some point, but not knowing when, he'd stashed every penny he earned into a bank account and let it build. Never having to pay rent in his life had helped. The Cullen family had agreed that giving the vampires and wolf their own spaces might not be a bad idea, and so they had generously put him up in a nice but still modest apartment in Minnesota. The time they'd spent in living in Chicago had been spent, for him, half in Washington, and half in a downtown condo. He'd managed living within a quick driving distance to his imprint for the better part of six years, but now, he had her all to himself for the very first time.

The thought was a little arousing, if he were being completely honest.

He switched on the TV, flipping through channels until finding some news program to watch. He could hear Renesmee in the kitchen—could hear pans clanging, her feet moving, her heart beating, a knife chopping followed by a soft scraping noise. His stomach grumbled loudly, and he groaned. Hopefully, she was making something quick.

There was a pause in the kitchen before the refrigerator opened again. He returned his attention away from the preparation of food and tried to distract himself. It was hard. He heard the microwave beep, and wondered vaguely what she could be making.

Movie. Movie, not food. Difficult.

For two long minutes, Jacob struggled not to let himself wander into the kitchen and watch her cook, like a dog waiting for her to drop something. Then her footsteps were heading toward him, and he could smell barbecue sauce in the air.

"You poor baby," she crooned, kissing his cheek and holding a bowl over his head. "I made you an appetizer."

He'd be damned. His girl made him those little cocktail weenies covered in Baby Ray's barbecue sauce. She deserved to be put on a pedestal and worshiped like the goddess she was.

She giggled. "Dinner's going to take a little bit," she explained, handing him a fork so he could eat like a person. He popped one into his mouth and groaned with pleasure. "So I see you like the wiener," she said. "Interesting what you learn when you live with someone." She laughed and danced back to the kitchen.

He grinned as he speared two. "Only yours, baby."

It was much easier to ignore her after that. The news was talking about yet another event, and he rolled his eyes. He flipped the channel, grinning when he found the show that kind of made him feel like a kid. And it was the Green Hornet special, too. Damn, that sweet car...

The hour passed quickly and he didn't notice the smells coming from the kitchen, and he certainly didn't see his fiancee darting back and forth, up and down the stairs.

"Honey?" Her voice called him from the dining room, off the kitchen. "Dinner's ready."

He sniffed the air now, curious. He could smell...

He was at the table a second later, and he stopped in the doorway. His mouth fell open in amazement.

"When did you have time to do all this?" He waved his hand at the amazing spread.

"Well, you already made the vegetables for me," she teased, winking with that devilish glint back in her eyes. "The rest pretty much makes itself, if you do it right. I happen to know my way around the kitchen."

"I'm impressed."

She was actually pouring wine. Could she be any cuter? And she'd changed clothes. Gone were her jeans and t-shirt, to be replaced by a dress that made her look like a naughty, porn star version of a Stepford wife. She smirked as she sat down next to him, the flickering flames of the candles making her hair look more firey than usual.

"Are you hungry?" she purred, holding a plate of steaks.

"Starved."

Before he could reach for it, she served him up the largest of the three rib-eye steaks on the plate. It was quickly joined by the vegetables he'd managed to steam and huge pile of mashed potatoes with that gravy her mom made that tasted amazing. He could only stare at the plate while she loaded it up, smiling, and serving herself, as well. The fact that her pile of potatoes matched his made him grin—any excuse for her favorite food.

"I almost don't want to eat it," he said, staring at his plate. "I kind of want to take a picture."

She took a sip of her wine, gazing at him over the top of the glass, smirk still in place. "Maybe I'll give you something to take a picture of later."

Oh, shit.

She laughed at his transparency and picked up her silverware.

Dinner was like foreplay. Watching her eat was somehow sensual. Her tongue would dart out from time to time to catch a drop of wine or remove any evidence of food on her face. Every time she swallowed a bite of food, he got a little harder. She crossed and recrossed her legs a few times, and his eyes darted to the little shadow made by her dress covering her crotch. He could almost see...

"Are you finished?"

His eyes snapped up to find her staring at him with one eyebrow cocked and an amused expression on her face. She nodded slightly at his plate. "Are you finished?" she asked again.

"Uh, yeah." He shoved his plate away. "Couldn't eat another bite."

She took his plate and rose from the table. "Can you bring in the rest of the dishes?"

Piling up the remaining silverware, glasses, and serving plates, Jacob followed after her into the kitchen. His mind was single tracked at the moment. His main objective right now was to get her upstairs and into their bed. Once he got her in bed, he'd have to get that dress off.

When he turned into the kitchen, he found her bent over at the waist putting the plates in the dishwasher. He handed her the rest, craning his neck to stare back at her ass. As her hands put the final plate in, he grabbed her and swung her up onto the counter.

They weren't going to make it upstairs yet.

"You're making me crazy," he moaned, burying his face in her exposed cleavage. He dragged his tongue up between her breasts, knowing how it turned her on.

The sound of her breathy moans and pants met his ears, and he felt her fingers wrapping tightly into his hair and tugging his head back. He stared up at her. Her brown eyes were clouded and darkened with lust, her full lips pouting ever so slightly. "Savor later," she ordered. "Fuck me now."

He didn't even take the time to look at her panties—he could feel that they were lacy—in his haste to comply. Deft fingers quickly unclasped his belt, unzipped him, and pulled him out. It took ten seconds from the time she asked and the time he complied. Grunting, he buried himself inside her with brutal strength that would have probably damaged anyone else. His girl took it like a pro, spreading her knees so that they were touching the edges of the counter top on which she was seated. He slammed her again, hearing animalistic grunts coming from his own mouth. They mixed nicely with her higher pitched squeals and whines.

Strong arms wrapped around him, yanking him closer to her. He went willingly, loving the feeling of her fingers twining in his hair, tugging slightly. Over and over, like some kind of high powered machine, he slammed himself into her. The sound of her screams, completely uninhibited, reminded him that no one was going to hear them. There would be no interruptions tonight whatsoever. He could fuck the shit out of her and make her make sounds she'd never made before, and enjoy them like never before. The thought made him harder, and he suddenly had the urge to see more of her skin.

She shrieked, this time with laughter, when he stopped for a moment to slide his hands under her ass and swing her around to the little table in the corner. Her back hit the heavy wood and she giggled, her eyes twinkling. She was so fucking cute. Weird, he supposed, to think of her laughing during sex as being cute. But it was. It was just the way she rolled.

The fucking dress had buttons. Buttons that he carefully undid, one by one, until he could shove the sleeves and top down to free her breasts. Her laughter turned back to moans when he slid his hands across her bare belly, his body still hard inside hers. He rested them at her sides and just stared down at her. Not for the first time that evening, his mouth fell open.

"Where in the _hell_ did you get that?"

"La Perla," she said, grinning. "Online shopping spree last week."

"Good girl." He traced the lacy patterns that barely covered her breasts. He could see her nipples through the transparent material and he traced over them with his fingertips. She shuddered, and the sound went all the way down her body, making her clench around him. The sensation made both of them moan, and he resumed his earlier motions, this time with the added visual of the world's most perfect breasts bouncing under him. He knew she was self conscious of them. She claimed they were too big for her, but he didn't agree. She was curvy, with a little waist and a fine ass to finish her off. If he were given the time, he was certain he could spend an entire day worshiping just her legs. For now, though, he easily unclasped the back of her pink bra and shoved it down, all the while fucking her as hard as he could. His lips had barely brushed the tips of her breasts when she came unexpectedly. He hadn't even noticed it coming.

She didn't seem to have expected it, either. The expression on her face was a little shocked, and undeniably pleasured. It was beautiful.

"Oh, shit!" she screamed. Her head slammed back against the table as her back arched. Spasms rolled down her body, and he could feel her leg muscles quivering under his hands where they supported her. Her body tightened around his, milking him for everything he could give her. He finished, groaning and grunting into her shoulder. He slumped on top of her, panting. After a minute, he shoved himself up on his hands so he could see her face.

Her cheeks were flamed with red, and the blush had spread down to her breasts. A slight sheen of sweat could be seen on her milky skin. Her eyes were huge.

"Jesus, Jacob." She was gasping for breath, too. "Fuck."

"You asked," he laughed, reaching up to brush her hair out of her face. "You said I can savor now."

Her smile was radiant. "You can do whatever you want to do, baby."

He pulled out of her and helped her down from the table. She twined her fingers in his when he leaned down to kiss her, and he gently tugged her with him in the general direction of the stairs. Her fingers left his to tug on the bottom of his shirt before pulling it up over his head. He laughed at her impatience, but continued to guide her toward the stairs while he worked to get her out of her dress. It eventually tumbled to her feet, and he lifted her up a little so she wouldn't trip, enjoying the excuse to have her a little closer to him for a moment. The bra was already on the kitchen floor, and the only thing left were her panties and a pair of high healed shoes. A sudden idea occurred to him, and there was something he had to do. Just like fucking her in the kitchen—it was one of those dirty fantasies he'd had since thinking about buying a house with her.

Carefully, he set her down on the stairs. She looked confused. Her head cocked off to the side and she gazed at him, questioningly.

"Lay back," he murmured. "Put your feet here." He moved them to a step below the one she was sitting on and pushed them apart. She grinned at him, catching on. She lifted for him so he could pull off the panties. He grinned. They were pink, like the bra—pink lace covering her pink pussy. Not any more, though. They went flying, hopefully to a location where they could be found later. Much later.

He knelt on the stairs, staring down at her. Her hair was wild, and it fell down around her shoulders in waves of bronze. Her eyes were bright with anticipation and the love that was always there, even if he was getting on her nerves. His hands were resting on his knees and he slid them up her thighs so that he could spread her legs a little more. She shifted, maybe a little uncomfortable. This was another thing she was self-conscious about, something she'd told him recently.

"I don't like the way it looks," she'd said, blushing. "I don't think it's very pretty."

Not very pretty?

Her flesh was swollen and pink, clear below the patch of dark red hair, and calling his name. Moisture had started to gather there again, and he leaned forward to lap it up. She tasted amazing, like honey and sugar. In his quest for more, his tongue had made its way into her tight body. When her voice sounded, she almost seemed to be in pain, but when he looked at her, her eyes were rolled back in her head and one of her hands had made its way to her breast and was tugging the skin there.

He could not stop staring at her. The sight and sound of her going wild was almost surreal. She had spread her legs as wide as she could—they were actually spread to the banisters, on the same step as her butt. He hadn't really realized she was _that_ flexible. He wondered vaguely if she could put her legs behind her head. He'd have to find out.

Screams of pleasure mixed with growls when he teased her, pulling away to barely touch her with his tongue. Squeals when he switched tactics, sliding his fingers inside her and twisting them while his lips latched around her clit. As if he'd gone from a basic amp to a subwoofer, the volume of the sounds she was making took a sudden upswing. She was like an animal, head thrown back and hair tumbling to fall down the stairs, breasts on display for him, screaming and snarling. Fuck, she was hot.

It probably took all of five minute and she was shaking and clenching and gushing and screaming. He kept his eyes on her, watching as she peaked. She just kept going. It was unlike anything he'd witnessed before. She kept coming, so he kept working. Her screams started to change into desperate moans. Her hips bucked uncontrollably against his face. She wasn't stopping—she was like a sexed up steam locomotive barreling downhill at a hundred miles an hour.

He'd heard about multiple orgasms. He knew they were possible. He'd just never seen one, and he was pretty sure that before now, she'd never had one. There was no sign that she was going to let up any time soon, and he moaned into her. He could feel himself getting painfully hard, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep doing this before he'd have to stop and take her.

"Oh, God." Her head swung forward and she forced her eyes open. They had gone completely black, something else he'd never seen before. "Jacob, I need you inside me."

As fast as he was capable, he raced them upstairs and into the room that he hoped would become the scene of some of his other fantasies. He had no idea when, in the melee, his pants had been lost, but he was grateful not to have to deal with them now. He pulled back the comforter and climbed on top of her. Her arms went around his neck and pulled him down. He collapsed on top of her, his lips pressed against hers. The moans that reverberated through both of them were making him crazy, and he reached a shaking hand down to guide himself back inside her. Lips not leaving hers, Jacob started moving slowly on top of her, letting his hands slide over her soft skin. He gave each breast its due attention, squeezing and tweaking her nipples before sliding a hand under her back and the other down to cup her ass. He used his new leverage to pull her into him when he slid all the way into her. Out of his control, his eyes rolled back in his head when he felt his dick gently nudge her cervix. Her lips wrenched from his as she let out a shriek of uncontrollable pleasure. She must have still been sensitive, because another orgasm rippled through her body. He worked her through it, savoring the rush of her fluids as they leaked out onto him.

"I love you," she gasped, and he groaned, burying his face in her neck. "God, I love you, so much. Please..."

"I love you, Renesmee," he whispered back, grunting when his thrusts became faster. He couldn't stop himself. "Fuck, I love you."

"Please," she begged. She was gasping through another orgasm now. Jesus, she was out of control. His slow love making had returned to fast fucking.

Her hot hands came up to cup his cheeks. She showed him a picture, and he moaned darkly. "Is that what you want, baby?" he asked, letting his tongue swipe around her earlobe. She moaned, nodding. "Yeah?" He pulled out and flipped her over. She went immediately to her hands and knees, and he rested his hands on her ass.

"Say please," he ordered.

"Please," she moaned, pushing her butt against his crotch. He groaned at the sensation. "Please, Jacob."

She screamed when he slammed back inside her, not stopping or slowing. The image she'd showed him had given him only one physical response—screw her brains out.

The image alone had driven him wild. It was the thoughts that went with it that triggered his actions.

_Use me._

She was a fucking vixen. She knew nothing made him crazier than when she begged him to claim her, mate with her, fuck her, use her. Maybe vixen wasn't the right word, he thought idly, as his hand made its way to stimulate her clit, alternating between circling it quickly and giving it little light slaps that made her squeal with delight. Maybe she really was more of an animal, than a vixen.

"You're mine," he growled. She moaned and he watched with hazy vision as her ass slapped up against his hips with every thrust. "You're fucking mine."

"Yes," she moaned. Her head was hanging down, and he knew she was watching his hands and dick. "Yours."

He had one hand free, and he used it to deliver one sharp slap to her ass, holding it there and grasping her when she moaned, a long drawn out sound. "Fuck," he groaned. "Come on, baby. One more for me."

She whined softly, working herself against him. "I don't think I can," she said, and her voice sounded ashamed.

Fuck that. He'd made her come before when she didn't think she could. The first time they'd had sex, she hadn't thought she would be able to come. But his specific imprinting, it seemed, came with an interesting twist—he could give her things that she may not be able to achieve otherwise. He had taken her before, loved her so many times that she was certain there was nothing left.

He had a fail-safe trump card. It hadn't failed him yet.

He moved the hand on her ass to her torso and hoisted her up so that she was on her knees. He leaned back so that he was kneeling, still thrusting into her. He kept his other hand busy with her clit, and let his lips press against her ear, nibbling on her earlobe and making her moan again before he whispered, "Bite me, baby."

She had never needed to be told twice.

Her head turned quickly, like a flash, and her lips slid across his neck, down to the scar that lingered from her last love bite. Her tongue darted out to taste the skin of his neck, and he shuddered. When her teeth pierced his flesh, he groaned. The pain mixed with his pleasure, and her hand reached down to take his. He could see everything. She was going to come for him again.

His skin was already healing from her bite, and she gasped with pleasure as his blood coursed through her system. He watched her mind, fascinated, as the taste went to her pussy, making her clench around him. He spilled into her, groaning, his own release intensified by his witnessing of hers. She was screaming and moaning, crying out to him with words of love and praises. His vision went white and he cried out, filling her with more than he should have had, having come once already that night.

He came to a while later, his head pillowed on her breasts and her fingers playing with his hair again. Her eyes were brown again, and they were warm with love for him. "Hey, you," she said, smiling slightly. "I wondered how long you were going to lay there."

"Did I fall asleep?"

"Kind of," she said, laughing softly. "You were still muttering."

"What did I say?" Hopefully nothing embarrassing.

"You said you love me, and that you couldn't wait to marry me." Her eyes were bright.

"That's true," he said, rolling onto his back and throwing his arm over his head. "Fuck. That was crazy."

She laughed now, the sound like bells echoing against the walls of their bedroom. "Did you like the dress?"

"Fucking loved that dress." He grinned at her, and she giggled, blushing and burrowing down into the covers.

"I wore it for you," she said, her voice muffled by the blankets. She sounded suddenly shy.

"You can't hide from me now," he laughed, diving down after her. He found her quickly and wrestled her on top of him, reveling in the sound of her carefree, delighted laughter. "No point. I've already seen everything. I liked those panties, by the way. Sorry I forgot to tell you."

"How rude," she teased, her cheeks bright red still. "At least you had a good excuse."

"Was it good?" He raised his eyebrows.

She seemed to think about it for a moment before she nodded. "It was," she declared. "You should be proud of yourself."

"I am," he assured her. "Very proud." He could feel himself getting hard again, but he had to remind himself that she might need a little bit to recuperate.

She shifted against him, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on there, buddy?"

"Fond memories," he said, grinning.

She slid over to the side of the bed, and he wondered what she was doing as she rifled through a drawer. A few moments later, he heard the quiet ding of her camera turning on.

"Speaking of memories," she said, grinning as she shoved back the covers, "do you remember me telling you I'd give you something else to take pictures of?"

Holy fuck.

She handed him the camera and his mouth fell open as she slid down his body. "Brace yourself, baby," she said, grinning as she grasped him firmly. He groaned. "It's going to be a very long night."

"Shut up and put my dick in your mouth," he ordered.

The devilish smirk returned to her face, and she opened her mouth wide before descending on him. He grinned back and made himself comfortable.

He had some pictures to take.

_a/n I give you this gift of lemons because now, we're reverting to childhood. _

_Hope everybody east of Colorado is okay. I spent a freezing hour last night digging my car out of a drift. In a parking lot. A sheltered parking lot. No mercy was shown. To anyone in or around the Chicago area that may be reading this, hopefully you weren't in that mess on LSD, and if you were, I'm happy to hear that you're all alive. _

_Review, please! Then go get a blanket and stay warm!  
_


	15. Crush

_a/n Welcome, welcome, one and all. Come, friends. Walk with me. Some of us would agree, especially those who wanted to see this particular first, that it would be cute to see Nessie's initial feelings for Jake. So let's take a journey back to that place we've all tried to forget… adolescence. _

_Renesmee is almost four here, and physically around twelve. And as a person who spends a lot of time around twelve year old girls, let me tell you—there's a lot of them who would love to get their hands on Taylor Lautner. I know. They've told me. And I believe them, because their hormones are like nothing else on this earth._

_Another glimpse into my mind (brace yourself, it's a scary place)—there's a little more story here on the third lady in the story, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro named Beatrice. She first appeared in "Fight," but she makes her debut here in "Crush." It will take about three and a half years until she's completely rebuilt and feels like a woman, but here, she still needs a lot of work done by a good mechanic. Enjoy!_

_**CRUSH**_

It was only three weeks, two days, and six hours until her birthday. Three weeks, two days, and six hours until she would wear this dress in front of real people. Her dad was flying Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Sue in from Washington to see her, and a bunch of Jacob's La Push friends were road tripping over together. They were going to have a big cookout in the back yard and maybe play some lawn games, and then she would open presents.

She turned to look at herself from the side in the mirror, looking this way and that, and was satisfied when she turned that the skirt fluttered in a pretty way. It made her look like a lady—much more grown up that she appeared in braids and those silly light up shoes she used to be so fond of.

Last month, Aunt Alice had bought Renesmee her first set of heals—a gift for passing her advanced trig test, she said, but Renesmee was highly suspicious. They were _real_ shoes, Manolos, even. They just happened to match the dress she bought last week with her mother, and Renesmee had laughed at this, loving her aunt for struggling to see a short image of Bella holding a dress.

Now, she slid the shoes on and looked at herself. Perfect, she decided. Grown up.

"Renesmee!" Her mother's voice sounded from downstairs. "Are you almost ready?"

"Almost!"

Her parents were going hunting with the rest of the family today while she stayed behind. They would be back for her before the sun went down, but in the mean time, she got to hang out with Jake. She liked that Jacob had his own apartment, because it was cool to have a friend with his own place, but she disliked the distance it inevitably created. She had understood from a very young age that Jacob needed to be close to her, but she also understood that he had a very hard time sleeping with a bunch of vampires in the house. It made him uneasy.

The low rumble of Jacob's voice reached her ears, and she looked down at her dress. He wasn't supposed to see it yet.

"Renesmee!" Her mother's voice echoed up stairs. "Jake's here!"

"Coming!"

She changed clothes quickly, pulling on a pair of capris and a purple shirt. She threw on a pair of ballet flats while the voices of Jake and her mother murmured below her, too quiet and muffled for her to make out any words.

She danced out of her room and down the stairs. Jacob's back was to her, so she hopped on easily. He pretended to stagger under her weight until she smacked the back of his head. Laughing, she lightly nudged his sides with her feet. "Let's go!"

"What are you two up to today?" her mom asked, smiling, as she reached for her daughter's jacket. It wasn't necessary, unless someone saw them, but it was cute and went with everything. She took it, pulling it on.

"Well, sun's not up yet," Jake said, nodding toward the window. "Probably get in some fishing before lunch, and then do some work on Beatrice."

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you named your car."

"She needs a name for when she's all fixed up," he said. "She's not gonna look like much for a while."

"Edward said something about the frame," Bella said slowly, looking like she was concentrating very hard.

"Yeah, it's rusted clean through. I'm going to have to get a new frame built. Found one on the cheap that looks a little better in the mean time, but eventually, she's gonna be as sexy on the outside as she is in the inside." Jacob craned his head. "You wanna be driven around in a crappy looking car, kid?"

"Nope," she said. "I already have to let you drive me around in that tank."

"You love the tank," he teased. "Ready to go?"

"Yep."

"We're off," Jake said, grinning at her mom. "You stopping by on your way back?"

"Alice said the sun should be covered up by six, so just bring her back around dinner time." She smiled, squeezing Jake in a hug. He pretended to make a face, but he gave her back a pat. "Thank you."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "No problem, Bells," he said. "Anything to give you time to—"

"Okay, bye!" She shoved him out the door.

Renesmee made a face. "Time to what?"

"Nothing, kiddo." Jacob set her down. "You really are getting big," he commented, looking her up and down. "Did you grow some more?"

"An inch this month." She sighed heavily. "Am I almost done growing?"

"Sadly, kid, like Beatrice, you've got a long way to go before you're a grown woman." He shook his head. "Still can't believe how fast you're growing."

"But I'm still not tall enough to get in without help," she said, rolling her eyes at the huge truck. "I'm not as tall as Aunt Rose."

"That's the only thing I hate about this truck," Jake said, giving her a boost up. "It smells like Blondie."

When he was situated in the driver's seat, she asked, "Do you think you'll ever buy a new car?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Probably not, though. I'm a mechanic—it's pretty cheap for me to buy a junker and fix it up."

"You're a good mechanic," she said. "I bet you could fix anything."

Jacob laughed at this as he backed out of the drive. "Maybe not _anything_," he chuckled. "I'm not as good with foreign cars. Give me your Chevys, your Fords. Your chugging Broncos begging to run clean." He waved his hand, talking like some kind of poet doing a reading. She giggled, and he raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what it says on the Statue of Liberty?"

"Not exactly," she said, still laughing.

He grinned at her. "That's what it should say."

"Whatever." Turning her head, Renesmee gazed at the passing trees. "Where are we going?"

"Not too far," he said. "Guy at work owns some land out here and said to use his lake any time."

"He has his own lake?"

Jacob laughed. "They're kind of hard to avoid here."

"Then why don't we have a lake?"

He just laughed again.

They drove for another ten minutes down a winding road she'd never been on. She watched as the sun's glow appeared on the horizon, announcing its intent to rise. He turned off the road and onto a dirt drive that led back to a little lake where a row boat was tied up at a wooden dock.

"Nice," she praised him. "Your friend's really nice."

"He's my manager, actually," he said, scrunching up his face a little and scratching the back of his head. "I think he might be about to promote me."

"That means you'll have a better job and more money, right?"

Jake laughed as he pulled a tackle box and their poles out of the back of the truck. "Yeah, and more paperwork and less time for my work."

"I think you should do it, Jake." She took their gear out of his hands so he could untie the boat. "I mean, you already own a shop so you probably should learn how to run one, in case you need to, you know, actually have to run one."

He raised his eyebrows, giving her an amused look. "Well, listen to you," he said, puffing out his chest a little. "Talkin' all smart with advice for my future _and_ my investments." He dabbed at a fake tear. "I'm so proud."

"Shut up," she said, giving him a shove. Tossing her ponytail over her shoulder, she climbed into the boat. "I'm almost a grownup, Jake. You should get used to it."

"Don't I know it," he muttered. "Come on, lady, get in. And don't fall in—you'll scare the fish."

"I only fell in one time, and you know it." She rolled her eyes.

"Shut up. You'll scare the fish."

The next few hours were spent mostly in companionable silence. She stole glances at him from time to time, but he looked pretty relaxed in his seat, staring at the placid water. They caught a few fish, tossed them all back, and continued until Jacob said he was hungry.

"Ready to head back?"

Renesmee nodded. She kind of hoped this would be the part where Jacob went to work on his car. He usually wound up shirtless, and he was really very cute.

The thought struck her again that maybe she liked Jacob a little differently now than he liked her. He was still her friend—just her very cute friend.

Weird.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Any day Jacob could spend with Renesmee was a good one, but as he watched her moving around the kitchen, making sandwiches and macaroni and cheese, he felt a little sad. She was turning four soon, and she looked about twelve. How much longer until she aged to sixteen? Seventeen? How much longer did he have?

And was he ready? How was this supposed to happen?

No frame of reference.

"Jake?" The voice of an angel in his kitchen made him focus his eyes. She was standing in front of him, where he sat at the breakfast bar. "I asked if you want four sandwiches or if three was fine."

"Three's fine," he said, forcing a smile. She gave him the plate and he picked up one of the triangles and took a bite. Pastrami and roast beef—his favorite. He groaned, distracted for the moment from his consideration of the predicament in which he found himself. He forgot that she was four going on five—twelve going on fifteen or sixteen. He only knew that the kid could make a sandwich. He was sure he tasted some dill sprinkled on the mayo.

She watched him eat with her head cocked off to the side. "Is it good?" she asked.

"Mmm-hmm," he mumbled around his sandwich, rolling his eyes into the back of his head for emphasis.

A little giggle came from her lips, and she turned away, but not before he saw the little blush stain her cheeks.

Fuck it all. Why did she have to turn into a teenager? This part was going to be fucked up, was the only thing he could think now. He tried to focus on his food, but his mind kept wandering. How would this work? People started getting urges well before turning eighteen, and she would be aged eighteen years in maybe only two years. So, what, a year?

He hadn't thought about any of this before today, but now, it was painfully obvious. There was a part of Jacob that wanted to punch Bella for bringing it up, and part of him that wanted to hug her.

_Jacob pulled up to Bella's house before the sun was up. He could hear the three Cullens inside the house, scurrying here and there, going about their business and getting ready for the day. A small smile lit his lips when he realized that, after two years of driving up every morning, he could tell that Edward was in his office, Bella was in the kitchen, and Renesmee was still getting ready in her room upstairs._

_He was raising his hand to knock when the door flew open. Bella smiled up at him, looking for all the world happy to see him. It was nice, he thought, wrapping his arms around her, to still have his friend._

_But she wasn't why he was here._

_"Where's Ness?" he asked, glancing around the entryway and into the living room._

_"Upstairs, getting ready." Bella rolled her eyes, smiling a bit exasperatedly, and lowered her voice. "Probably trying on her dress _again_. She's so excited. It's her first real grown up party dress." Then she turned and called up the stairs to her daughter, beckoning her down._

_"Coming!"_

_There was a sound of rustling upstairs._

_"Yep." Bella giggled a little. "Trying on the dress again."_

_Jacob heaved a sigh and stretched his arms up over his head, still trying to wake up a little. "Why's she trying to act like an adult all of a sudden?" Shit, he wasn't ready for that._

_"She's starting to get closer to being a teenager," Bella said, and her voice was quiet. She smiled a knowing smile up at him. "And I think she might have a little crush on somebody." Her golden eyes twinkled._

_Jacob felt a crease along his brow form with his frown. Lovely. How were you supposed to handle a twelve-year-old-three-year-old when you were a twenty one year old man?_

_The child in question came bounding down the stairs, and it didn't help things that her hair was in twin French braids down the sides of her head. She looked so young in little capris with rhinestones on the pockets and a plain purple t-shirt._

So young.

Now that it had been brought to his attention, it was hard for Jacob to ignore the fact that, when he looked at her in his peripheral vision, she _was_ spending a lot of time staring at him these days.

He finished his last square of sandwich and shoved his plate across the island. Turning, he looked over at her and caught her staring at him yet again. She jumped a little and looked at the floor while she crossed to take his plate. A bright pink blush covered her cheeks.

"Did it taste okay?" She was biting down on her bottom lip nervously.

"Yeah." He shoved back from the counter. "Hit the spot. Wanna help me work?"

And so began what would have been a normal afternoon, if Bella hadn't said anything.

Jacob found himself perpetually grateful that the Cullen family was as loaded as they were. At first, he'd been uncomfortable with any offering they'd made him. Now, after three years, he'd just gotten used to the benefits. One particular benefit was that Edward liked to buy cars, and Rosalie liked to work on them. He'd thought their garage in Forks had been impressive, but the warehouse that Edward had purchased had made his jaw drop. From 1965 until 1971, the family had lived in St. Cloud. They'd built a warehouse out of town in an unpopulated area and stashed about fifteen cars there over the years, and a few here and there in the following decades. The result was a plethora of toys, including a '73 Lotus that Edward had driven for about two years before Alice told him how much it would be worth in thirty years, a Dodge Charger belonging to Carlisle, and a GTO he was surprised to find had been driven by Esme. He was in the middle of appraising the work Rosalie had done so far on her old Porsche when Renesmee pointed at something.

"Is that one new?"

Jacob followed her finger, and his jaw hit the floor. He slowly made his way to the silver car on the end, staring at it in shock. "They didn't even make a thousand of these," he said, eyes wide. It was like looking at a unicorn. "Jesus." He looked back at Renesmee, about to ask her if she knew anything about it, and a little smirk was gracing her lips.

"Daddy said to point it out to you," she explained. "He said you can turn it on and pop the hood, but if you drive it, he'll kill you."

"Jesus Christ," he muttered again.

He was beginning to wonder if Edward had a car addiction problem. Still, even if he did, Jacob wasn't going to cap him if it meant actually getting to touch and stare into the interts of a working, mint condition Aston Martin DBS.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked, pointing.

Renesmee shook her head, looking every part the little kid. "Daddy just said it's a Bond car."

"It's _the_ Bond car," he said, opening the car and reaching for where he knew Edward would have hidden the keys, hooked under the passenger seat. He popped the hood. "Open it up, will you?"

"Um..." She felt around under the hood. "I can't find the latch." Her face scrunched up adorably while she felt around, lips puckered and brows knitted. After about thirty seconds of searching, her face cleared. "Got it," she said, and she raised the hood.

Jacob took a deep breath and started the car. The air came out when he moaned in amazed pleasure.

"Wow." He got out to look at the running engine. "Think you can name any of the parts yet?"

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "No," she said. "You _just_ started teaching me last week. They all look the same still."

Jacob shut off the engine and closed the hood. "Let's get to work, then," he said.

For the rest of the afternoon, Renesmee helped Jacob work on his car; the most beat up in the lineup of beauties. She fetched parts and tools for him and chatted at him while he worked. She was excited about the party, excited that she would get to see Charlie and Sue, and Seth, Quil, and Embry. While she talked, he looked for an opening to try to figure out a way to have an awkward conversation.

Then she mentioned turning four.

"I can't believe you're turning four already," he said, probably for the tenth time this week. This time was different, though. She was _four_. He could count the years on one hand, and that frightened him a little.

"I know." She was perched on a padded stool, legs crossed, elbows resting on her knees, with her chin propped up by her hands. "It's very strange."

Jacob wiped some sweat from his brow. There was no way in hell he would be taking his shirt off today. He had a feeling she'd like that too much. "Strange how?" He reached down to loosen a screw.

"Well, I know I'm four. And I know what a human four year old looks like and acts like." She paused, and he glanced at her. She had an odd look on her face. "I mean, I should be watching _Blues Clues_ or _Dora_ and looking at picture books so I can learn the alphabet. But I do advanced trigonometry. I'm reading _War and Peace_ in French." Her face was scrunching again, and Jacob felt a wave of unease. She didn't look happy, at all. In fact, she looked about to cry. "My parents are teenage vampires and my best friend turns into a giant werewolf. I drink blood then go home to watch Jon Stewart and think it's funnier than _Princess and the Frog_. And…" She trailed off, staring up at him with her big brown eyes wide and watery. Her bottom lip quivered a little bit.

"What?" Setting down the tools he was holding, he moved to squat in front of her so he was looking up at her face. "What's wrong?"

She took a shuddering breath, but didn't say anything.

His insides felt like a churning mass. Seeing her like this was painful for him, especially when he did not know how to right it, whatever "it" was. He took her hands and caught a few flashes before she shifted the set of her brain and stole back her thoughts. He frowned. "Come on, kid, I'm dying here. What's the matter?"

Renesmee hung her head and surrendered, and Jacob saw everything that was bothering her. It was more than just her age—it was his age, as it related to hers. She'd somehow managed to keep this internal dilemma to her self, as Jacob was certain Edward would have informed him of anything like this.

She acknowledged the strange attraction she held for him, and was aware that it was shifting slightly. But on the other hand, she also knew he couldn't and wouldn't reciprocate that way. She wasn't as naïve, she thought to herself, as her father perhaps considered her to be.

Jacob blinked. That was new. Before now, she'd always been quite the daddy's girl. She had Edward wrapped around all ten of her fingers. Now, as her development furthered, he could see that while she loved her father more than ever, she found herself biting her tongue around him more than she was used to. Her thoughts were a little snarkier than they had been a year ago, and he wondered how long it would take before the two of them really butted heads.

So he wouldn't have to have the awkward conversation with her, after all.

In lieu of that, he reached up to gently bump the underside of her chin. "You gotta get rid of that pout, kid," he said, shaking his head as he straightened back up to his full height. He glanced at his watch. "I need to get you home soon."

"Ugh." The pout changed to a scowl. "My dad's going to interrogate me and want to know why my eyes are red." She rolled them, sniffling slightly as the remainder of the tears were blinked away.

"I'll talk to him," Jacob said, helping her up into Emmett's huge truck. "Don't worry about it."

When they were on the road again, the evening light filling the cab with orange light, she glanced over at him. "What are you going to tell my dad?" she asked. Her voice was a little nervous.

Okay, so maybe a bit of the awkward conversation was in order. It was that or lie to her, and a lie seemed like a pointless risk. "That your mom's right, but it's under control so not to freak out."

"My mom?"

"Your mom is very suspicious," he said, feeling his cheeks flush a little, "that you may be experiencing…" He cleared his throat. "You know…"

"This is mortifying." Renesmee buried her face in her hands. From between her fingers, her voice came, muffled. "Can we please change the subject?"

Their conversation for the rest of the drive focused on her education. Apparently, Bella wanted her to give public school a shot once her development slowed a little. She was leery of this, not desiring to spend time with anyone not in her family. She chattered on and on, giving Jacob time to think and process.

In a month, she'd turn four. He had a month until then, and an unknown amount of time after that to get used to the idea that her feeling were starting to change. At some point he'd have to catch up with her. But the more he thought about it, the more he decided that worrying would do nothing to help the situation. So far, everything had worked itself out. Was it so much to think that that wouldn't change? Maybe things would keep fixing themselves. She was a smart kid. And from what he could tell, the imprinting thing worked both ways.

Then a new thought occurred to him. Maybe, just maybe, the reason he felt nothing new for her was that she really wasn't ready for her feelings to be reciprocated. Maybe he'd change when she was ready.

Honestly, the kid thought she didn't need a babysitter, but he still did his part to make sure she never went unsupervised. He knew that, left to her own devices, there was a distinct possibility of her getting into some kind of trouble. And at the end of the day, the kid didn't need a boyfriend or a romantic interest—she needed a friend.

So for now, until she was ready, he would happily be just that.

_a/n Whew! That turned out to be more of a challenge than I thought it would be, hence the delay. This one took a bit of delicate handling and some extra TLC. That, and I've been on a mad cleaning spree ever since I spent two days working on my vacuum to make it suck, only to find when cleaned, it works better than ever._

_Review! _


	16. Brawl

_a/n Reviewer dkgors asked several shots ago for ages. I say to you, dkgors, I happen to have that information in my frightening, but completely functional, outline. I will attempt to provide you with that information henceforth. Damn, don't I sound fancy, y'all!_

_I give you a fight of epic proportions. The participants are the father, Edward Cullen, eternally seventeen; and the daughter, Renesmee Cullen, four years and four months, and rocking the awkward thirteen-year-old mentality. I haven't started it yet, but something tells me there will be another delay. So again, I apologize for the slow update. In advance. Sort of._

_Set five months after "Crush" and just under four years before the original, "Fight." I give you…_

_**BRAWL**_

_And to think, it had all started out innocently enough. A game gone completely bad, brought to an halt by a passing comment meant to wound and taken to heart. It ended in a literal mess that had caused the destruction of several floorboards and a small section of the exterior living room wall._

_In the conclusion, the contestants walked off to lick their wounds, each going to their private spaces and plainly growling at each other._

_And it was amidst this terrifying combination of sound and visual that two friends stood, hand in hand, trying desperately not to laugh._

*One Hour Earlier*

Jacob pulled the truck into Bella's driveway, feeling no slip as he stopped on the packed snow. January in Minnesota was not weather with which one should fuck around, he thought. When they'd first moved here, Emmett had offered Jacob an old, eighties four by four to drive. The past few winters, it had been the only reason he'd made it to work some days.

Tonight, it allowed him to make it to the little Cullen house for game night. The vampires had come to rely on his presence as much as Bella's. Between the two of them, Alice and Edward were effectively blocked and their dominance was seriously diminished, giving the rest of the family a shot in hell.

The house was a little quieter tonight. Emmett and Rosalie were vacationing on some private beach in Mexico, and while Jacob certainly missed Emmett, Blondie's absence only meant that if he needed any automotive advice, it had to wait. 

Esme had already set up Apples to Apples on the dining room table, and Alice and Bella were curled up on the couch, foreheads touching, whispering silently and giggling. Maybe they were planning a battle of the sexes tag team. It wouldn't be the first time. Sure enough, on the other side of the room, Jasper, Edward, and Carlisle were in a football style huddle, their voices inaudible even to him.

"Hello, Jacob!" Esme smiled at him when she came around the corner. She was always so happy to see him. It turned out, the woman loved to bake, and it had been tricky to send out so many cookies when she was supposed to have a houseful of teenage boys. Jacob was more than happy to help her lighten the load, and tonight, that meant a full plate of cookies and a variety of other snack foods she'd set up in a little buffet on the side table. She put the cookies down next to the rest of the spread and reached out her arms. "How are you?"

"Amazing," he said, lifting her up and chuckling. "Starved. I didn't have a chance to eat dinner."

By the time he'd finished piling a plate with cheese, meat, cocktail wieners, celery, and a couple of cookies, Renesmee had emerged from the kitchen. He could feel her watching him, and he glanced at her with a smile.

"Hey, kiddo."

He blinked when she actually scowled at him.

"I'm not a kid," she muttered, crossing the room to sit on a couch and glare at the TV.

"Renesmee." Bella frowned at her daughter from her position at her left. "Be nice."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Edward frown. Something was going on, he decided, and it probably had nothing to do with him. So instead of pouting, he took his plate and a beer and crossed the room to sit down next to her on the couch. He didn't say anything, just allowed her to sit and be sour. Sometimes, it helped his sisters if he just let them be in a bad mood. He had a feeling it was a female thing, that urge to be angry. Renesmee was probably no exception.

The night went on fairly quiet for a while after that. Jacob finished eating and they split into their respective teams. Jacob laughed along with the others at the ridiculous word choices that kept coming out. Esme shrieked with laughter when somebody combined "Explosive" with "Helen Keller," which she said actually made sense, while Bella and Alice snorted with delight over the stupidly random combinations they created. The only people who didn't seem to be enjoying themselves were Edward and Renesmee. The girls were up by three points when it happened.

Edward's chair went flying as he shot violently to his feet. His eyes were blazing like golden licks of flame, and they were wide with fury. His lips were pulled back over his teeth slightly, and he was a little frightening. His hands clenched at his sides. He opened his mouth.

"That is enough!" he roared. Everyone at the table flinched back slightly.

Everyone except for Renesmee. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she was staring petulantly at the table in front of her. Her eyes weren't as wide as Edward's, but you could still see the fire there. It was also in the set of her jaw and the way her teeth clenched. She was certainly her father's daughter.

For a moment, it was completely silent. Then, without saying a word, Renesmee got to her feet rigidly and stalked back into the living room. Her lips were closed around what appeared to be a sneer and her nose was scrunching at the corners, just a little bit. She showed no reaction to the sound of her father's growling behind her. Edward's teeth pulled back a little more and he started to take a step toward her, but before he could say another word, Bella was on her feet. She was frowning at him, looking slightly shocked at his behavior.

"Edward." She stepped into his line of vision. A look of confusion situated itself on her face, and she stared at him, throwing her hands out slightly. "What is wrong?"

He hissed slightly, eyes narrowing.

"Edward!" A little hiss escaped Bella's lips now. "Stop it!"

"But you should hear her!" Now, Edward sounded like the teenager, whining when he didn't get his way. "She's thinking of every way she possibly can to insult me."

Their altercation was interrupted by a scoff from the direction of Renesmee's plush chair. Edward's eyes immediately went to the back of his daughter's head. Whatever was going through her head at the moment was making his blood boil, so to speak.

"Did I miss something?" he asked, confused. This wasn't normal father-daughter behavior in the Cullen house.

"Just the behavior of a _child_," Edward said, and the sneer made his lips curl.

The answering shriek from the living room was deafening. Jacob winced when Renesmee shot to her feet and spun around. Her eyes were huge. Her hair was down today, and it made her look even wilder. Her lips pulled back from her teeth and she hissed right back at her own father, a look of crazed fury in her eyes.

"I am not a child!" she screamed. The volume of her voice made the floor shake a little.

"We should probably go," Esme whispered. She seemed to find this funny, and she and Carlisle looked like they were both trying not to laugh.

"That's not funny," Edward whined, but they shook their heads and left with a confused Jasper and Alice in tow.

For a minute or so, Jacob thought the tension had diffused, and the altercation would cease.

It turned out, it only got worse.

Whatever had been going on in Renesmee's head seemed to be getting worse. If Edward were able to, he probably would have been red and purple. He'd have steam coming from his ears in that alternate universe, too. As it was, his face slowly churned its way from annoyance as Bella started to clean up the game, oblivious to the building storm, to anger to rage. He was getting dangerously close to his breaking point. Jacob took a step toward Edward. Unsure of what he was going to do, his guard was up and when Edward shot into the living room like the sudden bolt of lightning at the start of the storm, Jacob was right behind him a second later. As suddenly as he'd moved, Edward came to a halt in front of his daughter's chair.

It was the first good look Jacob had gotten at her face in a few minutes, and it was a little shocking. Her teeth were clenched and she was physically shaking. Her little fists were clenched, and for a moment, Jacob almost took a step between them so she didn't do something to hurt her dad.

His thought apparently registered as funny with Edward, because he snorted back at Jacob. Edward's timing could not have possibly been any worse.

"Do not laugh at me!"

Were his ears bleeding? He reached up. Nope, no blood. Just a ringing. He rubbed his ear, wincing a little and watching as Renesmee puffed herself up like a porcupine. A cute little red-haired porcupine that was actually quite frightening. It was a disturbing image.

"I'm not laughing at you!" Edward's answering roar was just as loud as his daughter's banshee-like scream. "Not everything is about you!"

When she leapt to her feet, the chair actually flew back several feet, coming to rest with a breath to spare against the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen. Bella had reappeared in the door to the dining room and was staring at Jacob. He shrugged at her perplexed expression. He was as clueless as she was.

"Yes it is! That's the problem!" She stomped her foot, and a crack appeared in the wooden floorboard. Jacob took a few steps back. He didn't want to be anywhere near her when she went off. It was going to be violent. "All you ever do is worry about me! The only time you don't worry is when I'm asleep! You're like a pillow that keeps getting shoved in my face!" She stamped her other foot now, and another crack, bigger than the first appeared.

"I do not _obsess_," he hissed. Apparently not his word choice. "You, on the other hand, need to get control of yourself. This behavior is unacceptable."

"Oh, so it's unacceptable for me to behave like a four year old?" Her eyes were huge, burning with rage. Her voice was higher than he'd ever heard it before. "I'm so sorry, dad, but as you like to so frequently point out," she said, her full lips pulled back into a sneer that was identical to his, "I _am_ four!"

"Don't act like you don't know exactly what I'm talking about!" Edward roared.

Suddenly, he turned to his wife, the fury still on his face. "Stop that."

Bella must have been shielding. Jacob almost laughed when her eyes narrowed dangerously at him and she hissed. Edward straightened up and took a step back, looking a little hurt.

"Bella," he whined.

Renesmee pointed and made a victorious sound. "That!" Okay, maybe stepping away from her wasn't enough. Maybe he just needed earplugs. "You whine like a little kid and expect _me_ to act mature?"

This was the part where you thought the storm was getting better, but it was only getting worse. Jacob had seen Renesmee upset before, seen her sad, a little feisty and maybe a tad angry, but this was different. This was the full wrath of a hormonal, teenaged, half vampire kid. And if he recalled his sisters correctly, he really didn't want to be around when the fireworks went off.

He wasn't on Edward's side, anyway. He was staying out of it. He walked back into the dining room, picking up a bowl with some remaining snacks and ate while he watched the mêlée unfold from behind Bella's shoulder.

Through the shrieks, hisses, and shouting, Jacob was able to discern that this was the result of tension that had been boiling for a few months. It had gone unnoticed, because the warfare here had been entirely psychological. In Edward's defense, it sounded like Renesmee was being a little childish. But on the other side, that was to be expected from her age, be it four or thirteen. He should expect it.

In any case, Renesmee took a lot of offence at being called ignorant and naive by someone she considered a pitiful excuse for a grown up. Edward took out his anger on a nearby sofa, kicking a hole in the side of it. Renesmee used his behavior as an excuse to throw a chair at his head. He dodged it easily and it flew through the wall and out into the lawn.

With a final shout of "you just don't get it," she was gone, shooting up stairs and throwing the door shut behind her. Edward growled after her and stalked upstairs. Jacob and Bella stood in the dining room, their eyes raised while they followed his footsteps. Another door opened and closed, but it was to his office. Growling echoed down from upstairs and Jacob and Bella turned to look at the living room again.

"Oh, my God," Bella whispered, her hand rising to cover her mouth. "I can't believe she threw a chair at him."

"Saying that she was acting stupid probably wasn't the best word choice," Jacob muttered. "How do you think she took that?"

"Yeah." Bella put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Wow."

"It's okay, Bells," he said, reaching to unclench one of her hands and pat it. "We'll fix it." His eyes narrowed when he saw that the corners of her mouth were twitching. "Dude. Don't start, Bella. If you do, I will, and I'm not going to be able to stop."

"That sounds so bad," she spluttered, and she burst into hysterics, laughing so hard she was clutching at her sides. As promised, he started laughing, as well, and they stood in the middle of her wrecked living room, unable to calm down.

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It was a solid fifteen minutes before she realized that someone was laughing. She almost couldn't believe her ears. It was even harder to believe when she realized _who_ was laughing. She sighed heavily, frowning and sliding her feet out in front of her. Well, at least her mom didn't seem mad that she'd wrecked the living room.

It was lonely in her room with them laughing downstairs. Tonight was supposed to be fun, but she couldn't get her mind off the fact that her dad had mentioned wanting her to spend more time with Jacob here rather than at his house. What did he think was going to happen? And did he really want her in the house that often? How would that _not_ drive a person crazy? Sometimes she didn't understand what her mother saw in him.

A soft knock on her door made her jump. Jacob and her mom were still laughing downstairs, so it could really only be one other person. She slid over so that the door would be able to open and let her dad in. He closed the door behind him and with a deep, weary sigh, slid down onto the floor next to her. He kept his knees up, resting his elbows on them and rubbing his face with his hands as if he were exhausted. A soft whine escaped his lips and he tugged at his hair with his long fingers.

Cocking her head off to the side, Renesmee realized that this was not her strict, overprotective father. This was a teenaged boy named Edward who had been thrown into parenthood suddenly and had been given four years to prepare for a teenager. The man had absolutely no idea how to deal with her.

"Pretty much," he muttered, his face hidden now between his arms. "It certainly doesn't help that you seem to act like me when you get upset. Your mother is much calmer. Her way of being angry with you is just to ignore you or glare at you. I yell and shout and break things."

"I've never seen you break anything." She rested her head against the wall, suddenly feeling exhausted. "When did that happen?"

"Oh, I've lost count of how many things I've broken in my life. The first house I lived in with Carlisle had been gutted by the time we left. I broke every item of furniture that he didn't put into storage before I could get my hands on it. When the furniture was gone, I broke holes in the walls on an almost daily basis. I'm not even sure the house was structurally sound when we left it." He shook his head. "In some ways, I suppose I should know what to expect from a teenager better than most."

Renesmee shifted closer so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm still mad at you," she said, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Oh, you're grounded," he said, finally laughing a little. "You broke a hole in your mother's living room wall. That's a lot more than kicking a sofa."

She groaned. "What am I grounded from?"

"No TV, no iPod, no iPad, no Kindle…" Her father trailed off, frowning. "You've got a lot of things, you know that? No electronics." Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "Yes, that means no iPhone. No iAnything."

"No fair," she whined softly.

He reached an arm around her, pulling her closer into his side. She buried her face in his chest, feeling the unyielding muscle there. Wrapped up like she was, she felt very comfortable. "I know," he said softly. He sighed, and it sounded sad. "So now is the part where you hate me for a while, correct?"

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "I still love you, daddy," she said, shaking her head. "But that doesn't mean I can't be mad at you."

He chuckled. "True."

Downstairs, Jake and her mom were still laughing.

"Can you believe them?" Her father jerked his head toward the door. "They're like a pair of hyenas."

The laughter came to a stop.

"I resent that," Jacob called up.

"I just think it's funny he thinks it's snack time," her mother said, and she snorted with laughter again.

"I'm hungry, and it's going to go to waste otherwise."

"Oh, goodness." Renesmee heaved a sigh and got to her feet. "I suppose another part of my grounding will involve cleaning up downstairs, so I'm going to get started on that."

When they got downstairs, Bella was standing next to the couch with a raised eyebrow. "Ness, why don't you go stay with grandma and grandpa tonight?" she suggested. "Your dad's going to keep you up all night working on that wall. Then he's got to take out the sofa and get me a new one. And a new chair, too." Her eyes were narrowing slightly as Edward started to argue. "I believe there were two people screaming in here. There's no reason that only one of you gets to be punished."

Ouch. Her father looked absolutely horrified. The score was again in her mother's favor, when it spent most of its time. Happy for an out, she grabbed Jacob's hand and pulled him out the front door. "Come on," she said. "Drive me over?"

"Sure." Jacob's eyes were still dancing with delight. "You know, I still can't believe you actually threw a chair at your dad. You had to know it was going through the wall."

"I wasn't thinking that far in advance."

He laughed as he climbed into the driver's seat. "Clearly. It was like it happened in slow motion. You knew it was coming, that it was just going to be so brutal. The whole thing was so fucking funny!"

"Whatever." She sighed heavily and leaned back in the seat, inhaling deeply. She hummed softly. It smelled like her aunt.

She must have fallen asleep, and for a moment when she woke, the scent closest to her was the same, and she thought she was still in the truck. But when she opened her eyes, she found her Aunt Rosalie's face smiling into hers. One of her elegant hands was running over her hair and it felt soothing. She reached out her arms to wrap around her aunt's waist and snuggled up against her. "You're home," she mumbled. "How was Mexico?"

"It was beautiful," she said, grinning. "I brought you some jewelry."

"Thanks." Renesmee sighed, starting to fall back asleep already. She was so very comfortable. She suddenly felt four, but in a good way.

"Jacob said you threw a chair at your dad's head and it went through the wall instead." She could hear the smile in her aunt's voice. "Nice."

"Thanks." Renesmee sniffed slightly, and then yawned. "Mom's making him clean it up."

"Good girls." Rosalie pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Go back to sleep, darling. I'll make you pancakes in the morning."

"'kay."

And she drifted back into the dream she'd been having, where she was older and her life was very, very different.

_a/n And I'll let you use your imagination for her dream. Sorry this took so long. Today is the first day in eleven days that I have had the day off. And I still have somewhere to be at 3. But today is mine—this morning is mine. I like my job, I like my friends… I like my whole house! My whole house is great! I can do anything good!_

_(…please Google "Jessica's Daily Affirmations." Funniest thing ever.)_

_Soon, we go forward again. Still taking ideas. They're getting written down. Review!_


	17. Dance

_a/n You kids write some lovely reviews. Thanks for that—it's like porn. I keep hoping there's a new one and I stalk the computer for a while to see. I know. I'm a loser._

_There are some limes here. Nothing too graphic, but still… Be warned._

_**DANCE**_

It was _hot_. Jacob had never felt heat like this before. It didn't bother him, it was just really intense. It was strange, too—you couldn't even see the sun, it was so cloudy. But the heat reminded him that it was summer, and summer was a time he spent more time with Nessie in the sunny days, and less time with her sparkly family.

They'd gotten here three weeks ago and they weren't even unpacked before she produced four tickets to Lollapalooza with a huge grin on her face.

"I called Seth, and he's on his way with some girl." She'd fanned herself with the tickets. Jacob could see the letters "VIP" big and bold. "They're going to stay in a hotel on Michigan Avenue, and if she asks, I'm twenty-one."

"I doubt she'll ask," he said, laughing. "Seth's girlfriends generally either like Seth, or are just about to dump him."

"And his rapidly growing bank account."

Their buddy had done well for himself in Seattle. He made a living working on GPS tracking software. Apparently, it was a good market and he was good at it. And apparently, having money made a person look better.

Seriously. Seth wore nice, well fitting clothes and completely destroyed the geek stereotype associated with his profession. It was natural that women would flock to him. And even as good looking as the kid had become, his Nessie still didn't look at him any differently. To her, he was just Uncle Seth.

"I don't think I've ever seen anybody quite as brazen as this girl," Nessie said, cocking her head off to the side. Jacob didn't look at her. If he did, he'd never be able to avert his eyes. He wondered if she'd worn the tiny pink bikini on purpose. Not your typical teenager, Renesmee Cullen was fully aware that he found her attractive and she did her best just to fuck with him sometimes. It wasn't even a suspicion. He knew.

_Jacob had been over every day to help her pack. He'd arrived at seven on the dot. She'd been awake and ready every day._

_Today, he came in the front door and walked down to her room. She wasn't there._

_Today, she came out of the bathroom just as he was about to call her name. Her face showed no surprise that he was there. On the contrary, she smirked at him. "Sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all. "I thought I had more time to shower." She shrugged, grinning and adjusting her only covering, a purple towel, with one hand. "Guess I just got caught up in there." She turned and darted into her closet. She didn't shut the door behind her. He heard the towel drop to the floor and took a deep breath, trying to be quiet._

_The smell that hit his nostrils confused him for a moment. It wasn't a foreign scent—not entirely. He'd caught it before, with different variations from owner to owner…_

_Holy shit. No fucking way._

"_Did you oversleep?" he asked, his voice managing to stay steady. He glued his eyes on the floor, but all he could see in his mind was that fucking towel slipping just a little to reveal the tops of her breasts._

_She giggled. "Nope," she said. She popped her head out of the closet. Her shoulders were bare. "Can you toss me that tank top?"_

_She had a million shirts, and she wanted the _one_ that was not in her closet. He picked it up and tossed it to her, managing not to look at her at all. He didn't need any more images of her legs, long and still dripping with a few drops of water from her shower, flowing up to an apex that was just hidden by a towel._

_She came back out of the closet, dressed now in a checkered button up shirt and jeans. Her cheeks were rosy and he could distinctly smell her arousal still lingering on her body._

_Fuck._

Since coming to Chicago, she'd taken an interest in sunbathing. They were all surprised to find that she could tan, just a little. She'd been so excited; she had taken to lying on the roof of her father's childhood home for days when they'd arrived. Jacob's condo had a balcony that she liked to lay out on, too, when he was home.

Despite the fact that she knew he was trying to go as slow as possible, she seemed hell bent on making him crack. When her parents were at the library, which was often, she wandered around in the tiniest bikinis he'd ever seen. He saw more of her skin than he'd ever had reason to see until now. At some point, her breasts had gotten huge, and it took everything he had not to bury his face in them. It was just as well Edward wasn't around much—he'd kill him if he could hear his thoughts.

Jacob sighed heavily. Edward was doing everything he could to help Billy while Jacob thought disturbing thoughts about his daughter's beautiful, full breasts. He already wore sunglasses as much as possible to conceal the fact that he spent half of his time staring at them.

Edward, who was purposefully avoiding his own child these days so they didn't fight their way into their graves. Jacob knew Edward loved his daughter and would die to protect her, but he understood that he could only protect her as much as she would let him. And these days, that wasn't much. It was part of why Edward had suggested Chicago.

"She'll never be lacking for things to do there," he'd said sadly. "Won't have to spend every day with her old dad. And the more she's in and out, the less suspicious the neighbors will become. And maybe if we're not constantly in each other's spaces," he'd chuckled, "we wouldn't fight quite so much."

"Jacob?" Renesmee's voice broke into his thoughts. It sounded concerned, and unthinkingly, he turned his head. There it was. The bane of his existence—today, anyway. The tiny little pink bikini with the little ties that he was sure were easy to remove.

Seriously. He hadn't even kissed her yet and all he could think about when his thoughts were safe was her body. "Huh?"

She had an eyebrow raised. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just…" He raised his eyebrow at her attire. "Really? You had to wear that thing?"

She looked down, pouting. "You don't like it?" She tugged a little at the strings of the top. "I think it's cute."

"Don't you have a one piece?" he asked, glancing around. "People are staring."

She shrugged. "They stare when I'm wearing sweaters, Jake. It's the price we pay for being beautiful." She winked at him, and his heart fluttered. "The ladies stare at your ass, by the way, even though it's all covered up."

"Stop talking about my ass," he mumbled.

A little giggle escaped her lips. "Oh, come on, Jake," she chided him. "You're a very good looking guy. Women are going to stare. I don't care, long as they don't touch."

"You're possessive."

"So are you." She rolled her eyes. "Hence, your dislike of anything I wear that makes me look different than a nun."

"I like it," he said, nodding to her swimsuit. "Don't get me wrong. It's just how much I like it."

"I know." She beamed at him.

"You're mean."

"Yep." She put her sunglasses back on and leaned back in her beach chair. Jacob followed her eyes to where Seth and his lady friend were splashing around in the water. She jumped at him and he caught her easily, supporting her when she wrapped her legs around him. The way they started kissing was completely inappropriate for a public beach, but it was Lollapalooza. As long as they weren't hurting or endangering anybody, the Chicago police had better things to do.

"Seriously." Renesmee sighed, and the motion made her generous chest rise and fall. He watched it out of the corner of his glasses. "They have a room."

"Yeah." Jacob shook his head. "That's Seth, though. Girl crazy."

"I don't like her."

"You don't like any of Seth's girlfriends." Jacob rolled his eyes.

"True," she conceded. "Because none of them are good enough for him."

"Also true." Jacob glanced at his phone. "We better tell them the next show's in twenty minutes. We need to get a move on."

The next show was Jason Mraz, and Renesmee was excited. She had an obsession with him Jacob didn't really understand, but he tolerated it. He wasn't all that bad, really. They showed their wristbands and made their way to the VIP area, which was, they'd been told, pretty empty for the year. Sign of the times, or something.

The state of the economy didn't concern to you when the tickets were being paid for by a guy who owned a house in Lincoln Park, drove an Aston Martin, and dressed his daughter in Chanel, with millions—maybe billions—to spare.

As she walked slightly ahead of him, her fingers twined in his again for the eighth time today (how lame was he for keeping count?) and he watched the sway of her tiny skirt, which barely covered anything.

_Too soon…_

He blinked at the white material. It was teasing him.

_Too soon…_

Something Seth said made her giggle, and the sound was light and carefree. Childlike.

She _was_ a child.

He sighed at the white material. He could wait a little longer.

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Lollapalooza was the most fun Renesmee could remember having. Jacob looked so handsome, and even if he wouldn't let them progress beyond hand holding at this point, he wasn't above staring at her. It was hysterical to find the skimpiest bikinis she could to parade around in. Her mother had seen her one day and rolled her eyes.

"Don't let your father see you in that," she'd sighed, setting down the laundry basket in front of her nervous daughter. "He'd have a conniption."

So with Bella's pseudo-blessing, Renesmee stimulated the economy of Michigan Avenue, hitting stores for her Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, and Manolos. They already loved her at Sacks, and she was becoming a fast favorite in the shoe department at Neiman Marcus. She'd pointed out the Fendi shoes she wore today to her favorite gay salesman last month and said, "_Those_ are what I need to start creating a foot fetish." Anthony now took her calls and met her at the door when she showed up.

And her dad had to know something was up. He hadn't said a word when her credit card bill had come yesterday. Granted, she'd skipped out the front door not too long after, but if he'd wanted a fight, she would have been ready. He would have had time…

They hadn't really had it out since they'd moved here, she realized. She kind of missed it.

"You look mighty thoughtful lady," Seth whispered when Jacob apparently wasn't paying attention to them.

"Kind of, yeah."

Seth glanced back at Jacob and grinned, then leaned in next to her ear. "Jake is totally ogling your ass right now."

Renesmee burst into a fit of giggles at this. Of course he was. The little Ralph Lauren sarong really didn't cover much—it was just an obstruction of her bikini bottoms. And wearing her crazy Fendi shoes, she knew it just made things worse for him.

But she also knew that all he would be doing would be looking. He didn't think she was ready for anything else yet. Their relationship, built on honesty and trust, sometimes seemed to be moving so slow. But his perspective was different. To him, this was fast.

"Just because you can skip through your years physically doesn't mean we can do that here," he'd said quietly. "This is different."

Maybe dressing this provocatively was not the greatest plan, but he had said on multiple occasions that he found her attractive. It was a given that he would, really. Just as it was a given that she would also find him striking.

She heard him heave a sigh behind her and it sounded resigned. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that his eyes had elevated and were staring right into hers. She smiled at him and squeezed his fingers a little. "Ready for another show?" she asked, grinning. The performance was just starting.

"Yeah," he laughed. "This is unreal. I've heard about these big festivals, but this is crazy."

"And the best part is since we live here, we don't have to get hotels."

"Our hotel is actually really nice," Seth defended. "Right on Michigan. It's pretty awesome."

"We have a Jacuzzi," his girl giggled. Renesmee wondered vaguely how long it would be before Seth realized that this girl was another one in a string of one month relationships and proceed to sabotage it so he wouldn't have to feel bad by dumping the girl.

"There was a hair in it," Seth said, referring to the Jacuzzi.

Yep, subtle sabotage. Stage one was to be as annoying as possible. Complain frequently.

Renesmee subtly elbowed him when the girl's head was turned and he winced. She reached her free hand to touch his wrist. She let the flow of thoughts go from her to him, and he sighed when he saw the confusion she had for why he dated these women. Seth just shrugged slightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Not everybody's as lucky as you, kiddo," he said softly.

_You have stages in place, Seth. You're setting yourself up to fail every time._

He shook his head. Jacob was talking to the girl. "Nope," he said, grinning. "It's a fire escape. Sometimes it gets too hot to handle."

_Yeah, and I'm saying, they're _always_ too hot to handle._

"Shh," he whispered as the cheers around them exploded. "Someone might think this is a weird, random conversation."

He gave her puppy dog eyes, and she heaved a sigh. "Please?" he asked.

_I hate stage two._

Stage two was his obnoxious friends that talked about his exes. Seth loved having Renesmee around for stage two.

"So, Stephanie, how long have you been going out with Seth?"

"Um…" The girl frowned at Seth. Jacob was shaking his head slightly. "Who's Stephanie?"

"No, Ness, this one's Mandy," Jacob said.

"It's Melanie," the girl said, her voice sounding cold.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Renesmee said, giving her best fake laugh. "I just can't keep all Seth's girlfriends straight."

Melanie raised her eyebrows. "Right."

"So anyway, how long have you guys been together?"

"Two weeks." Melanie's voice was getting colder as the show started getting hotter.

"Cool," she said. She beamed at Melanie and got up out of her chair to sit in Seth's lap. She gave him a hug, knowing he was probably finding this hysterical. Jacob just rolled his eyes. "Isn't he just the best? He's like my big brother," Renesmee said, making her voice sound bubbly and stupid.

Melanie crossed her arms and stared at the stage. "He's fine."

Renesmee stayed on Seth's lap for a few more minutes, demanding his attention and keeping it away from Melanie. When Melanie was completely ignoring them, she reached back to pop the back of Seth's head.

"Ouch," he muttered.

"You deserve it," she hissed. "This is the last time I'm helping you break up with someone, by the way. It really sucks. I'd never ask you to break up with someone for me."

"Because you guys aren't going to break up."

"To break up," she whispered, "you have to be together."

"You guys are together," he promised quietly. "You've just got to give him a little more time. Trust me, okay? You know I would never lie to you."

"I know."

"And will you do me a favor?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her attire.

She huffed. "What?"

"Seriously, you need to put on _pants_. You're going to kill my buddy there—he's about to spontaneously combust."

Her eyes narrowed. Why did the men in her life hate the way she dressed? "Your friend there is wearing less than me."

"I don't care if you wear that stuff," he said softly. Jacob was talking to Melanie about Seth's Canadian ex girlfriend who'd dumped him for stalking her. "It's why you're wearing it. Jacob knows you're sexy. You don't have to shove it in his face. You're not making this easy for him, and he's not doing anything to make it hard for you."

She wrapped a finger around one of Seth's. _He hasn't even kissed me yet._

"Maybe he'll get to it when _he's_ ready." He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Promise you'll wear clothes sometimes? You can wear all the Prada you want," he said, holding up a hand. "Scout's honor. And hey, there's something sexy about a woman's curves being hidden by clothes. Mystery, and all that bull shit." He waved his hand. "Love you."

"Love you, too." She sighed heavily and slid down from Seth's lap to go back and sit by Jacob. She slid down in her seat next to his and rested her head on his side. It was warm and comfortable there, and it was nice just to sit with him. Her hands were free, and she rested one on his knee. He shifted in his seat in reaction, just a little, in a manner that seemed automatic. Sitting a few inches closer to her, she was pressed against his warm side even tighter. Inhaling, she took in the scent that was all Jacob, letting it overwhelm her senses and take her over. Her brain kicked into overdrive, and she found herself trying to plot a way to get closer to him while staying within his ridiculous physical boundaries.

To her surprise, he offered her the perfect opportunity.

It was hard to hide the frown when he got to his feet. But to her surprise, he held out his hand to her, a goofy smile on his face. She gave him a slightly confused, but amused smile back and grabbed hold of his big hand. He pulled her easily to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closer than he ever had before. Her stomach was fluttering excitedly, and she wondered for a second what he was doing.

Then she realized, as he starting swaying her in his arms, that he was actually _dancing_ with her.

This was so much better than the chairs, or the beach, or even having him hold her hand in the cab this morning.

It was a little too fast for a typical slow dance, but that kind of dancing didn't seem to be his intention. One of his big hands slid around to press against the small of her back, his thumb rubbing softly at the tender skin there. He molded her body to his, and she could feel for the first time all the ridges of muscles, the hard lines of his body.

She giggled when he spun her out before pulling her back into his strong arms again. She wondered vaguely where he'd learned to dance, but when his head ducked down to hide in her hair and the crook of her neck, she melted to a point where her only thoughts were of how good his arms felt.

It wasn't like she pictured a first dance. She was wearing almost nothing, she realized with a small smile. They were in the middle of a bunch of stoned, drunken revelers. Their bodies were close enough to feel everything. Literally, _everything_, she realized with a blush. They were dancing to some hippie song in the breeze coming off the lake.

A tiny gasp escaped her lips when he swung his hips against hers, making her body shift so that one of his knees slid between her legs. She leaned heavily against him, but before she could get too carried away, he swung her out again. This time, though, he gave her another silly grin and took her hands, held them in front of them, and got her to do the twist. She giggled again when he pulled her in to dip her. She didn't know he could do that, and she smiled up at him as he swung her upright again.

By the end of the song, she was back against his chest while he swayed them back and forth. He felt and smelled so good that the only place she could think of wanting to be was right here.

It was perfection.

Until it started pouring rain.

There was one warning split of lightning, then a fierce crack of thunder followed by a few fat raindrops. The few were joined by the many, and while most of the crowd seemed to find it a riot, some were leaving.

"We should go back to the hotel," Melanie said, and her voice sounded a little bitter.

Jacob waved as she dragged Seth off down the street in the pouring rain. "Bye!"

Alone now in the crowd, Jacob grinned down at her. "Want a ride?"

She hopped on his back, laughing when he covered her up with a towel. "We're not running all the way back, are we?" She made a face. "It's wet and there are foul men afoot on the way home."

"You know the crime rate around Cabrini Green has actually dropped since they've started leveling the projects." Jacob's rumbling voice was matter of fact as they headed out into the deluge, his legs moving them along at a brisk walk. It would look odd if he legitimately ran with her.

Renesmee burst out laughing. "You sound like a pro," she laughed. "You just got here three weeks ago."

"Whatever," he said, waving a hand. "I know my shit."

"Okay, so if you know your shit, where did all those people from Cabrini Green go?" Her voice was critical. The thought of a vulnerable human wandering around displaced saddened and infuriated her.

"Oh, Jesus, can we not talk about this shit right now? I agree, it sucks, but you can't deny the benefits."

"True, just like you can't deny the disadvantages."

"Do you _want_ to walk home in the rain? I think Lincoln Park's a ways off."

She bounced on his back a little. "I'm sorry. You're my big strong knight in shining armor, here to save me from walking home in the rain. Thank you."

Her knight commandeered a cab for them on Lake Shore Drive and they climbed in, dripping wet, apologizing to the cab driver profusely for dampening his seats. The guy actually yelled at them until Renesmee reached in her purse, pulling out a fifty and smiling at the man while she batted her lashes. He muttered quietly as he took the fifty and took off up the road, into the wall of traffic.

Renesmee resumed her place, burrowing back into his warm side and sighing contentedly when he wrapped his arm around her. She stared at the sidewalks, mostly devoid of humans at this point—the ones that were out were under umbrellas, hustling down the wet pavement to their destinations. All the while, his fingers rubbed softly up and down her arm while his other hand held hers.

It took forty five minutes to navigate through the busy streets back to her father's house, but they finally made it. Jacob ran her up to the front door, and she noticed with disappointment that he'd told the guy to keep the meter running.

"You going back downtown?" she asked unnecessarily.

"Yeah." He pushed her wet hair away from her face, and she reached up to take his hand. "I'll see you tomorrow."

A frown crossed her face. "Why don't you stay?" she asked, trying to sound seductive. She pulled him a little closer, staring up into her face.

Jacob sighed heavily and smiled down at her, reaching up to cup her face. "Not today, okay, kid?"

She remembered Seth's words, his request to give Jacob a break. "Okay." Her sigh matched his.

"Come here," he murmured, and he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the ground. She held tightly to him, not ready to let go yet.

"Stay," she whispered. She couldn't help it this time. She just wanted him to hold her hand and watch a movie with her, if it meant that he would stay.

He laughed. "You're acting like you're never going to see me again," he chuckled, pulling away a little to stare down at her.

She pouted up at him, but he just laughed again, kissed the top of her head, and took off.

Unlocking the door, Renesmee let herself in. She was thankful not to still be dripping as she glanced around, trying to discern if her parents were home. There wasn't a sound in the house. No movement, no breathing, nothing. If they were home, they would have come to meet her or acknowledged her in some way.

She was alone.

Darting upstairs, Renesmee stripped off her skimpy skirt and bikini bottoms. She groaned when she realized that this was yet another in a line of bikinis destined for the washer after a single use. She'd been hot and bothered since that dance, and it wasn't going away on its own any time soon. Frustrated, she groaned and finished undressing before staring at her nude body in the mirror.

Her cheeks were bright pink and her hair had dried into a bigger mess than it had been before. And she could swear her boobs were bigger than they had been a month ago. A little bit, at least.

"God dammit!" she shouted, not speaking to anyone in particular.

She made her way to her bed, still naked, and climbed under the covers. She closed her eyes and remembered how he'd held her…

She remembered what she'd felt when he'd pulled her against his chest to dance. He'd wanted her, like she wanted him.

It was a very good thing that her parents were gone, because she was sure she wouldn't have been able to hold back the sounds that were coming from her mouth. She'd figured out not too long ago how to use her fingers to give herself relief, and since then, it had been the only thing to keep her sane. She had even been brazen enough once to masturbate in the shower right before Jacob had showed up. Her eyes closed as the tingles began to build and she imagined Jacob making her feel this way, but with his hands and mouth and tongue. She'd heard enough in the girls locker room and from her relatives, and even watched a little soft core porn, to know what things men could do to women with their bodies.

In her mind, he was perfect. He knew exactly how to stimulate her body to get the biggest reactions from her that were possible. She imagined dancing with him again, like she had this afternoon, chests pressed together, but with no clothing separating them. A whimper escaped her lips as she imagined his hands, so big and warm, sliding down her back to caress skin untouched by anyone else.

The need was worse than it had been before, and her mind went wild with images of them and the things they would do together. She worked her fingers faster and faster until she reached her end, moaning and gasping into her pillow.

For a few minutes, she lay still, feeling more alone than ever, before she forced herself to get up and get dressed. She pulled on a pair of sweats and old, worn in shirt before making her way downstairs.

The front door opened and closed as she rounded the corner of the stairs, and her parents' voices drifted up to her. It sounded like her dad hadn't been having much progress finding any new information relating to pancreatic cancer. Renesmee felt her stomach clench a little in pain for Jacob. He was going through a rough time in his life, and he needed a friend. Unfortunately, she'd been too busy trying to seduce him to fulfill her requirements as his best friend. She winced now when she thought of the things to which the poor man had been subjected.

"Oh, that's just charming," her father grumbled from downstairs. "I'm trying to be nice and give you a little freedom, and you're off running around like a tramp. Lovely. It's nice to be back in my childhood home to ruin all its virtues."

She tromped down the stairs loudly, one at a time, to find her parents staring up at her. Her mother looked mildly amused, and her father looked… Well, he looked like a man who had just found out his daughter was running around like a tramp. Which was true, in a way.

She plopped down halfway to the bottom to sit on one of the stairs. Her father was frowning. "What is wrong with wearing what you have on?" he asked, gesturing to her new attire.

"That's what I need to talk to you about," she said, biting her lip and giving her father her best doe-eyed Bambi look. "Seth promised me Prada."

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Seth exhaled and a cloud of smoke poured from his lips. He rubbed his face with his hands before heaving a sigh and plopping down on one of the chairs on his little balcony. The hotel really was nice.

"Seth?" Melanie's voice was clearly annoyed. She appeared in the doorway. "I'm leaving." She was wearing a frown. "My boss called and he wants me in Vancouver tomorrow."

"Cool," he said, not getting up. He took another hit of his joint, laughing as a few festival attendees on the street below started yelling at a group of guys across the street. Something about "how do you like it, little boy?" Funny girls.

"And when I get home, I'm going to send your stuff over by delivery," she added coldly. "Obviously, this relationship isn't going anywhere, so I'm done."

Unsurprised, Seth shrugged. This was the worst part. Every time he did this, some girl's feelings got hurt. But hopefully, she hadn't had time to get all lovey-dovey over him. Melanie wasn't a weepy girl, either. She would probably throw herself into her work harder than ever and wind up getting a promotion. That was why he'd taken Melanie home that night. She was a bitch. She'd be fine.

To be honest, he didn't really have time for women. Work was too busy to tie himself down at this point, and he spent too much time talking to Jacob about his relationship that sometimes he felt like he was in it, too.

As Melanie walked out, Seth pondered his friend's situation. There was no doubt about it, the guy was heads over heals for his imprint. It was natural that he should be. He'd seen it in the way Jacob alternately stared at her and glared at anybody else who dared to do the same. He'd heard it in the agony of his voice on the phone, unsure of what direction to take.

"_I don't know what to do."_

_Seth blinked and picked up the remote to mute the TV. "About what?" Jackass hadn't even really said hello. He must be fucked up._

"_She's getting worse, and I think she's doing it just to fuck with me." Jacob's voice sounded really tortured._

"_Getting worse?" Seth asked. "You mean, with the flirting stuff?"_

"_This is beyond flirting," Jacob said. "I swear to God, this afternoon she was trying to kill me."_

"_What was she doing?"_

_Jacob's voice was dark. "First of all, she had on the porn bikini."_

"_The porn bikini" was a tiny string bikini that Jacob knew for a fact she had never taken into her own house. It had been modeled for him, purchased with him, and worn exclusively in his apartment. It was metallic gold. The top was only covered about half of her breasts, leaving a good portion exposed to his eyes._

"_She got on the phone with one of her girlfriends and started talking," Jacob continued. "She was bending over the balcony rail with her ass sticking out and she started swaying it back and forth. And let me tell you, if those bottoms were any smaller, I would have seen pussy, her legs were spread so wide."_

"_I do not understand," Seth said, "how you have not fucked her yet. Not that I'm saying I want you to. Honestly, I'd be happy if the girl decided to join a convent. I just don't understand where your willpower is coming from."_

"_Because I can't shake this feeling that if I whipped out my dick and told her I needed to rail her that she wouldn't know what the hell to do with it!" he exploded. "Fuck! I mean, I'm over here jackin' it ten times every fucking day, man!"_

_Seth grimaced. "I didn't need to know that."_

"_I haven't even kissed her yet," Jacob moaned. "I've held her goddamned hand, and I already can't stop thinking about fucking her. What's going to happen when I actually kiss her? What if I end up jumping her bones and she freaks out and decides joining a convent is a good idea?"_

"_You're not jerking off right now, are you?" Seth frowned. "Don't do that on the phone with me. Think of something disgusting. Think of Rachel fucking Paul."_

"_Seth!" He sounded kind of pissed. "Too much!"_

"_Sorry." Frowning now, Seth flipped to the Weather Channel to see what his week was going to look like. "So what are you going to do?"_

"_I have to go slow, Seth." He sounded tortured. "I can't rush this. I just feel like, if I do, then it'll do more damage than good. I don't want that for her. I want everything to be okay when it happens, and right now, I really want to make sure that she's not overwhelmed."_

"_Jacob?" He laughed. "Sorry to tell you this, man, but that's not going to stop her from running around half naked. She wants what she wants, and eventually, you'll let her have it. In the meantime, enjoy the scenery."_

Enjoy the scenery.

Having seen this week exactly what his friend was up against, he understood the difficulty. The girl had a new swimsuit every other day, it seemed. All of them were tiny, revealing things that would get under the skin of any man. Jacob, however, wasn't just any man.

But he'd gotten a little payback today, Seth decided. He remembered watching them dance, hips fused together. Her legs were visibly weakened and Jacob had supported her, holding her tight against him. Seth was pretty sure he'd seen her actually swoon a little when he shocked her with his dance moves, which Seth was sure Jacob would never admit to having learned from Esme. He'd be shocked if Nessie had been able to think straight after that.

"Seth."

Seth actually jumped and turned to scowl at Jacob. "How did you get in?"

"Melanie let me in," he explained. "She left, huh?"

"Broke up with me," Seth shrugged. "Not a big surprise." He nodded out at the street where the rain still fell. "Get Nessie home alright?"

"Yeah. She wanted me to come in."

Seth laughed. "I bet she did."

"I wanted to." Jacob sighed as he sat down next to Seth. He rubbed his face in his hands. "I mean, I _really_ wanted to. But if I stayed…"

"Yeah." Seth leaned back, inhaling again. "So maybe the fact that you _really_ wanted to stay says something."

"I made a decision on the way here," Jacob said suddenly. "Her birthday's next month."

"Yeah, so?" Seth frowned, feeling a flare of protective love for the girl who had legally become his niece two years ago. "You better not be talking about boning her for her birthday, man. I know I joke about it, but I will rip your balls off."

Jacob burst out laughing. "Get in line," he spluttered. "I think her dad, Emmett, and Jasper might want a piece of me, too." He shook his head. "No. I'm not even really ready for that yet, so I know she's not." He looked up at Seth, making an odd face. "I know how stupid this is going to sound, like a big cliché, but…" He trailed off. Seth waited. "For her birthday, I think I'm going to kiss her."

Seth blinked. "Okay," he said slowly. "That's all?"

Jacob frowned, confused. "You think I should get her something else, too? I mean, I'm already giving her a car."

"Jesus, man, that's not what I meant. I meant, that's all you're going to let her do?"

"Honestly? I think if I open the floodgates and let her make out with me I can work her up to the other stuff."

"Probably true," he said, nodding. "That usually works. Especially if you're a teenage girl. You _sound_ like a teenage girl."

Jacob snorted. "I don't know if I want to take your advice," he said. "Not with your track record."

"My track record is due to my impeccable understanding of the female psyche." Seth took another drag. "I understand women so well I've learned how to make them dump you."

"I don't want her to dump me," Jacob said, shaking his head. "We're not even together really, yet."

"Not together?" Seth snorted. "You two are worse than ever. She's gotten older and sexier faster than most kids' teeth grow in. And she's got hormones now, so she's a typical horny teenage girl."

"With tits."

Seth shook his head. "She's getting bigger every day," he said, shaking his head. He frowned. "Can't you guys get her to put clothes on?"

Jacob threw his hands out and turned his face to the heavens. "She's so fucking excited to be able to go out during the summer and do shit that when she does wear clothes, it's still tiny skirts and sundresses and bootie shorts. She won't listen to me, she won't listen to Edward, and Bella seems to get some kind of sick and twisted pleasure out of our misery, because she keeps saying that Ness is a growing girl. She's growing, alright. She's got to be a C cup by now."

Seth blinked. "You've really thought about this," he said, a little stunned.

Jacob shook his head and said darkly, "You have no idea."

"Let's go get a beer," Seth said, getting to his feet. "You need to relax."

"Yeah," Jacob said, his voice distracted. Jacob was staring blankly ahead of him as they made their way to the door. "I still get this weird feeling like… like I'm not going to be able to hold her off that much longer, though."

"Really?" Part of Seth wanted to punch him, but the other part was a little perplexed. He'd just said she wasn't ready for that yet...

"Yeah." He shook his head. "I mean, physically, she's about seventeen. Realistically, her actual age doesn't really matter that much. I have conversations with her about the state of the economy and mortgage rates, and the possibility of her investing in us opening up another shop out west somewhere. She's really serious about things, more than she seems like she should be, even when you consider her actual age."

"She acts like she's twenty-nine," Seth agreed. "It's freaky."

"Exactly. I feel like she keeps developing so rapidly, that it's not going to be long before she stops looking as sex as something strictly physical, and when she does, I'm not going to be able to argue with her anymore."

Seth gave Jacob a strange look. "So, you're really serious about waiting for sex until it's a physical expression of a powerful emotion?"

"Pretty much."

"Then I'm glad she's with you, man," Seth said, shaking his head as the climbed on the elevator. "Anyone else would be too stupid to see it that way."

_a/n I've had time off and a lot of backed up stuff in my brain that escaped onto this word document. Hope it's okay with you. Review!_


	18. Trip Alone

_a/n Some of you requested this one, and it's one I thought of originally. It's time to flash forward again and remind you how this bitchy teenage girl turned out. She's got a long way to go, but I promise, she'll get there in spectacular fashion. It's all in my head. I'd tell you about it, but it's really too scary a place to present to anyone other than myself._

_Steam ahead, friends. Small children and adults who are not fans of lemon pie, please abandon ship. The rest of you, enjoy the ride.  
_

_**TRIP ALONE**_

"This is the _last_ move," Renesmee sighed heavily. "I don't understand why we have to do this one the old fashioned way."

"Because your dad's a freak and doesn't trust anyone with his mother's antique furniture." Jacob rolled his eyes. "It's not that far from Forks to Seattle."

"I know." She sighed softly and turned her head to stare balefully out the window. "It just kind of sucks, you know? I wish we could have just stayed."

"Baby, you know we couldn't stay." Jacob leaned his chin against his fist, bored out of his mind, stuck behind Edward in a moving truck. Beatrice's first real trip out since being completed, and he couldn't even get her up to speed.

"Yeah." Another sigh. "I just wish we weren't stuck in Seattle in the winter."

Jacob burst out laughing at this. "Seriously?" he said, still choking. "Would you rather have the cold and blizzard ridden Windy City or Middle-of-Nowhere, Minnesota?"

She was staring wistfully out the window. "I want to see the sun set in New Mexico," she said.

It was so completely random that he didn't know what to say for a minute. He stared at the back of the moving truck, blinking.

"Really?" Was she serious?

"Yeah." She turned her face to stare at him. "I think it would be good for you."

Jacob laughed. "Good for me?" He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"You need a vacation, Jacob," she said, and her angel voice was serious. It was like being condemned by Michael, but if Michael looked like the most beautiful Greek goddess.

He tried to argue with her, but it was like trying to argue with the solidity of a brick wall or concrete. Or steel. She had done what only she could do. In five words, a simple statement, she had summed up his entire life. He blinked, his mind flashing errantly to the first time he'd taken her to bed.

_Her eyes were huge. They stared up at him, full of trust and love._

"_You love me," she'd said softly, "and I love you."_

He'd listened to her then, and things had turned out pretty good. Except for his dad…

But that hadn't been anyone's fault, and they'd done everything they could think of to stop it.

This, however, was a simple fix.

"Your dad's going to murder me," he muttered, and at the last possible second, he jerked the wheel onto I-5 South.

He was pretty sure that, until the day he died, he would be able to feel Edward Cullen's eyes trying to set him ablaze, to bring him to complete destruction.

Fortunately, Edward wasn't in a position to turn around any time soon, and even if he had been, it was daylight. There wasn't much he could do on a patchy day like today—not without Alice. So Jacob got away, slamming the gas pedal to the floor and roaring with laughter as Beatrice took off like a shot, flying onto the highway at eighty.

"Holy shit, I love this car!" he yelled, pumping his fist. "Fuck yes! She fucking _roars_, baby, do you hear that?"

Her face was enough to stop his heart for a moment. Renesmee was laughing with absolute delight. She continued laughing for a minute before her phone rang.

She frowned when she looked at the display.

"Is it Edward?" he asked, trying to peer over.

"It's Seth." She touched the screen and put him on speaker. "Hey, Seth, what's up?"

"Throw your cell phones out the window," he said.

Jacob blinked. He was completely serious. Jacob dug into his pocket and dug out his Blackberry. He rolled down the window and threw it out, watching as it shattered on the wet pavement behind them.

"Call me when you get to a phone," he said. "But get rid of your cell phones."

Before he could say anything else, Renesmee had chucked her phone out his still open window like it was a live grenade. The look on her face was so comical he burst out laughing again.

They drove for a solid seventeen hours before Renesmee got the bright idea that Vegas would be the ideal place to crash.

"Seriously? You want to stay in Vegas?"

"Yeah, I can win us some money," she said, grinning. "Uncle Jasper taught me how to count cards."

"Of course he did."

The Las Vegas strip was unlike anything Jacob had seen before. It was like looking at a wall of lights. Renesmee laughed as she pointed out some of the crazy outfits worn by people who were still out and about. They pulled into Planet Hollywood, where a friendly valet took their car, and another took their suitcases.

"I don't even know what all's packed in there," he said, shaking his head as he watched his suitcase roll along ahead of them.

"Jeans, couple of shirts." She smirked. "Mostly it's our beach clothes and anything we left at home. I hope you don't mind, I didn't pack any underwear in there."

"Really." Jacob slid his arm around her waist, grinning. "Did you pack _yourself_ any underwear?"

"Some," she said, nodding. "I'm not sure it really qualifies as underwear." She giggled again, and he could feel himself hardening.

There weren't many rooms available, so they stayed in a massive suite. It was unlike anything Jacob had ever seen. The view of the strip was amazing.

Watching his girlfriend strip wasn't so bad, either. She put on some ridiculously sexy song and slowly, item by item, stripped out of the jeans, long sleeved cotton t-shirt, tiny little camisole, and itsy bitsy bra and panties until she was naked in front of him wearing only the bracelet he'd given her when she was a baby and the diamond necklace he'd give her last month for her seventh birthday. A little smirk had danced on her lips right before she turned around, winked at him, and bent over slowly, sliding her hands down her legs until she was bent completely at the waist. Her ass was stretched just a bit in this position, and with her legs spread wide, he could see _everything_.

Taking his time just a little, wanting to mess with her, he took his clothes off, folding them on the couch before he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her into his arms and swung her around. She squealed with shock and delight, laughing again when he carried her into the bathroom. Setting her down on the counter, he stopped to turn the water on and adjust the temperature. The huge shower had multiple jets, and he was looking forward to getting her under them, but he had to stop for a minute.

He just had to look at her.

She'd brushed her hair in the car, so her curls were relatively tamed, hanging down so that their tips brushed her lower back and the soft skin of her belly. It matched the soft hair between her legs. Her legs were still spread, further putting her exquisite body on display for him, and he stepped between them. Cradling her head, he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her. She moaned into him when he deepened it immediately, gasping and dragging her fingers through his hair. His mouth had to leave hers to breathe, and he continued to pepper her neck and ears with little kisses.

"God, I've missed your mouth," she moaned arching her back slightly when his lips trailed down to capture one of her nipples in his mouth.

He chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "I fucked you this morning before your parents got back."

"Yeah, twenty-one hours ago." She was gasping now, her mouth hanging open and her eyes watching his actions with heavy lids. "Too long."

"You mean to tell me you can't go without my dick in your pussy for an entire day?" He straightened back up and lifted her into his arms again, carrying her into the shower. She moaned and shook her head in response to his question. He chuckled. "Well, that makes two of us."

There was no foreplay. She didn't need it, and he felt like he was going to explode. If he were being honest, he'd had blue balls all day. Like he'd said, he'd taken her this morning. But if he could have it his way, they'd never leave the bed. Unfortunately, that was impossible to manage while she still lived with her parents.

Then a thought occurred to him. There was no way in hell anyone knew where they were, and therefore no way in hell anyone would bust into the room. They were completely alone, and he had her completely unsupervised in the shower of a luxurious hotel room.

The thought drove him to thrust up into her, throwing his head back and moaning when he felt her envelop him. She cried out, the sound bouncing off the walls and back into his ears, louder than before. Her sounds made him crazier, and he thrust into her, completely uninhibited.

They stumbled out of the shower, laughing, half an hour later. They dried each other off, getting as much water out of her thick hair as was possible, and made their way to the huge bed. It was always hard to keep his hands to himself, but at that moment, literally nothing could stop him from touching her. It was unreal.

They finally passed out, exhausted, around four in the morning. When he woke up, she was curled against her side, her head nestled under his arm. He watched her sleep for a long time, marveling at her beauty, at how perfect she looked next to him.

"Are you doing that creepy thing where you watch me sleep?" Her voice was muddled and sleepy, but there was still humor there.

"Blatantly," he confirmed.

The little smile that danced on her lips was enough to make him want to take her again, but his stomach had other ideas. It rumbled loudly, and she laughed, opening her eyes.

"Order some breakfast," she said, pointing to the side table where the phone was situated. "Get me some scrambled eggs and bacon." She paused for a minute. "Pancakes, too," she added. "Lots of butter. And bread. Ask if they have dinner rolls."

She rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, and he laughed as he dialed the phone. They did, in fact, have dinner rolls. So he ordered Nessie's food, then an omelet, toast, extra bacon, and pancakes. The man said to give the kitchen about thirty minutes, and Jacob hung up, staring at the phone for a minute.

Sometimes Nessie seemed as much a mind reader as her father. She came out of the bathroom then, wearing one of his t-shirts—no panties—with her toothbrush still in her mouth. She really didn't _need_ to brush her teeth, but she claimed to like the flavor. "We should call Seth," she said, her voice slurred as she tried not to drip toothpaste.

"I was just thinking the same thing."

The phone had a speaker, so they put it on and dialed Seth's number. It was noon, so he _should_ be up.

"Hello?"

It wasn't Seth. It was a girl.

"Um, hi." Jacob cleared his throat. "Is Seth there?"

"He's still sleeping."

Jacob rolled his eyes. Of course he was, the little punk. "I'm really sorry, but can you wake him up? Tell him it's Jake."

The girl sighed. "Yeah, hold on."

There was a shifting in the background, the sound of blankets moving around. Renesmee rolled her eyes and went back into the bathroom to spit. Jacob listened to the other line.

"Baby? The phone's for you."

"It's a fucking Sunday morning," he heard Seth mutter. It sounded like he rolled over.

"The guy said to tell you his name's Jake."

There was a pause, then a groan. The phone was passed from hand to hand, and Jacob could not quite discern what was said, until…

"Holy shit, dude, what the _fuck_ did you do?"

Jacob blinked. Renesmee came back around, eyes wide. She crossed back to the bed and climbed up next to him. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

"Edward called me yesterday," he said. "I couldn't even understand what he was saying at first, he was so pissed. Then he said you guys got off the ramp and decided to take some random road trip. He wanted me to track your phones and tell him where you were." Seth laughed. "I told him I would. I didn't say anything about giving you a fair warning. So where are you, anyway?"

"Are you going to see my dad in the next couple of days?"

"Nah." Seth's voice sounded dismissive. "I already called and told him I found remnants of phones like yours on the highway. He's got no reason to swing by."

"But at the same time, it is Edward," Jacob said. The man would find a reason.

"Yeah, I hear you, man."

"Was he really upset?" Renesmee's voice sounded a little shaky, and he held her a little closer.

Seth sighed. "He's pretty put out, Nessie. He knows you chucked your phones, but he can't find your trail. He's really worried about you."

She sighed. "Well, if you see him, which I'm sure you will, will you tell him we'll call when we're on our way home and to try to simmer down in the meantime? We _need_ this, Seth, and I really don't need my dad around telling me how mad he is. I get the picture."

"I think you need to tell him yourself, Ness, and I really don't think you should wait."

Jacob fully expected her not to go through with it, but he watched as she dialed Edward's number. He noticed one her hands shake slightly, and he reached out to wrap his fingers in hers.

It seemed like an eternity before Edward answered the phone, but it was actually only the second ring. Renesmee clutched the phone a little tighter.

"Hello?" Edward's voice was tight—stressed.

Renesmee gulped.

"Hello?" Edward's voice sounded like he was starting to panic. "Who is this?"

Her hands were shaking. She was terrified.

Not giving himself a chance to back out, he took the phone from her. "It's me."

The growling started right away.

"Let me explain," Jacob said quickly. "It's totally okay. We're just on a little road trip. We're both fine."

"Where is my daughter?" he growled.

His daughter cringed next to Jacob. "She's in the bathroom."

"She's sitting right next to you, isn't she?"

_Fuck_. Bastard didn't miss a trick. "Yes, and she really doesn't want to talk to you right now. Seth was the one who said she should call you."

"Seth?" Edward's voice was incredulous. "I knew it."

"Leave him out of it," Jacob warned. "He's got nothing to do with this."

"You bring her back this instant, Jacob, or I swear—"

"What, you'll kill me?" Jacob laughed outright. "That's your problem. You only think about your own instant gratification." Edward's only response to him was a growl, so he continued. "I mean, think about it. What do you think would happen to her if you actually killed me? And why would I believe you? In eight years, how many times have you said you're going to kill me?" Edward's growls had subsided slightly, but he still didn't say anything. "You cannot think that everything in her life or mine revolves around you. My life revolves around her and you're just a pain in my ass half the time." Renesmee's mouth fell open. It occurred to him that she wasn't used to seeing them go at each other. This was just one sided.

"_I'm_ a pain in _your_ ass?" Edward roared. "I should strangle you! I swear to God if you don't bring her back this _instant_, I will do everything possible to make sure she doesn't see you for a while when she does come back!"

Before he could respond, the phone was out of his hand. Renesmee's face was furious. "You shut your mouth!" she snapped at him. "We're on vacation because it was _my_ idea, daddy."

"You have the nerve," he screamed, and she held the phone a foot away from her ear, wincing, "to tell me to shut my mouth?"

"This isn't his fault," she said, closing her eyes. He was proud of her. It seemed like she was really trying not to scream back at him. "I'm just saying not to blame him."

"Young lady, when you get home—"

"—you can tell me all about what a horrible thing I've done and yell at me some more. We're going down south for a few days for some unobtrusive quiet, and there is no way we're turning around until we're ready to come home. I'll call you when we get to Oregon. Might be a couple of weeks. Bye."

She said all this fairly quickly and hung up, wincing, as soon as she was done. She gave him a weak smile. "He's going to murder me."

"No, he's not," Jacob said, grinning and lying back, pulling her onto his chest. "He'll find some way to blame me and he'll huff and puff around for a couple of days before he gets over it."

Renesmee snuggled up under his chin. "You and my dad really did used to hate each other, didn't you?"

"Yeah." He rubbed a hand over his face. "We really did. But I also used to think your mom was attractive."

She pouted a little. "She's prettier than me," she argued.

"Nope." He kissed the top of her head, reaching down to cup her face. "She and I agree you're the prettiest." There was a knock on the door. Breakfast.

They went to the pool later that morning and she surprised him by wearing the gold bikini she'd once used to torture him years before. The difference was that the girl who'd worn it then had been trying to get him to have sex with him. This girl had already fucked him, and she was now confidant and proud of her body. One idiot had tried stupidly to grab at her ass while they stood at the bar, and before Jacob could grab the man, she'd whirled around to grasp his wrist. Her eyes narrowed up at him.

"I should grab your balls and twist until you bleed," she growled. Jacob blinked and stepped back a little. She didn't need his help. If anyone needed help, it was the poor bastard that was dumb enough to grab her ass. The last time someone had grabbed her ass, at a White Sox game, she'd "let him go" with a black eye. "You are not nearly fortunate or attractive enough to get away with that." She took a step closer to him, dropping his wrist. "Now, walk away before I change my mind about your immediate sterilization." She raised her eyebrows, glancing down at his crotch briefly before back at his face.

The guy about pissed himself trying to get away from her fast enough. She tossed her hair over her shoulder before turning around with a smile to order a drink. Nobody fucked with her for the rest of the day. Not a single man was bold enough to do much more than glance at her occasionally. She looked like an imposing goddess, like some model lying there.

He pulled her into the pool after a little while and she wrapped her legs around his waist, giggling.

"This is fun," she said, grinning. "Nobody knows us here."

"And what happens here, stays here," he added, nodding his head. He glanced down at her breasts, pressed against his chest. "Do you know how hot you look right now?"

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "My boobs are on display for you," she said, a little smile quirking at the corner of her mouth. "You can see half of my ass. I'm _trying_ to look hot. You deserve it. You're on vacation."

She was crazy. Easily, he pulled her closer to him and kissed her, feeling her lips curl into a smile against his. Somehow, she managed to melt against him a little more, and her fingers wrapped around his hair. He moaned when she gave it a little tug.

"Take me back to bed," she whispered. His eyes opened to find hers gazing at his face. She smiled at him, and it was a surprisingly gentle look. "Do whatever you want with me. Just please take me back to bed."

He carried her out of the pool, holding tight while he picked up their towels. She squealed when he bent over to grab them, effectively dipping her backward. He grinned down at her, his hands steady under her back.

"I've got you, babe," he said. "Don't worry."

Upstairs, he took his time removing what little clothing they had on while she lay below him on the huge bed. He could get used to this slow thing. Not that there wasn't something to be said for a good, hard fuck, but watching her slowly turn into a puddle was startlingly erotic. Her legs spread for him of their own accord when he toyed with her bits and parts, tweaking, rubbing, kissing, nipping, and pulling. By the time he finally slid home, she was so worked up she came right away. He worked her through it before continuing, seeking his own release this time.

Normally, she would scream and growl and wail when he bedded her, but he'd never taken her quite like this before. Something was different. He could see it in her eyes, locked on his. He laced his fingers through his, pressing his lips against hers to swallow yet another soft sigh. She just looked so… something. Beautiful, yes—always. Blissful, yes—thankfully.

Then it occurred to him that he'd never seen her look quite as happy as she did at that moment. A smile that would put angels to shame graced her perfect face. She came again with a soft cry, shaking in his arms, and he followed immediately after, collapsing on top of her and shaking. To his horror, the shaking didn't stop. For some reason, he was, like a complete pussy, crying.

"Baby?" Her voice sounded confused. "Jacob?"

He shook his head, laughing a little, but the sound choked out, and a second later, he fell completely apart in her arms. The stress of the past year finally broke him, and he sobbed uncontrollably while she pressed gentle kisses to his head, cradling him against her chest and rocking him slightly. As best he could, he curled into her. Her arms were strong and tight around him, the security he needed in his weakest moment.

"It's okay," she murmured. "Everything's going to be okay."

"You can't leave," he choked, his voice breaking in strange places. "You can't leave." He clutched her tighter, and she wrapped herself even more closely around him.

"I'm not going anywhere without you," she promised. She rested her cheek on the top of his head and ran her fingers gently over and through his hair.

Eventually, the sobs subsided, leaving behind a brief moment where he felt embarrassed, before he looked up and saw her smiling at him.

"Hi," she said, smiling. Her fingers brushed away his tears. "Feel better?" He nodded, his head trying to dip so his eyes were hidden, but she was fast and strong, and she lowered her eyebrows at him. "Don't do that," she warned. "Don't turn into a guy all of a sudden. It's okay. I love you whether you're laughing or crying."

"Thanks," he said, his voice husky. He reached up, stroking her hair back from her face. "I love you, too. So much." He heaved a sigh. "Now I feel like sleeping."

"So sleep." She smiled. "I'll wake you up for dinner."

Dinner was brought up like breakfast had been, and they ate in bed. She wore one of his huge t-shirts and a pair of boy shorts. It was funny, but when she wasn't trying to be sexy was when he wanted her the most.

That was when he realized that he really wanted her. _Really_ wanted her. Didn't want to take her home, where she would have to stay with her parents and not be here whenever he needed her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She took his plate away, giving him a confused smile when he just kept staring at her. "What?" She turned her back for a second, putting the plates back on the tray. "Are you okay?"

When she turned around, she cocked her head in confusion. He slowly walked toward her, not speaking, because he didn't know how to at that moment. When he was standing in front of her, he swallowed hard. It was difficult.

He knew he had no reason to be afraid. She'd essentially pledged herself to him already. They'd talked about this. Still, it did nothing to quell his nerves. She could still refuse him.

"Jacob?" She put her hand on his face. "What is it?"

"I want you to make me a promise," he said, and his voice was hoarse. Great. He needed to look like a man and here he was, a pansy ass again.

"Anything." She was confused.

His knees were weak, and he let them give way. A woman like her deserved to have a man grovel on his knees for her. He could barely look at her, and his hands were shaking. He carefully took her hand. "I want you to promise me," he rasped, "that you won't be my girlfriend anymore this time next year." A shocked, hurt look crossed her face, but it only lasted a second. Her hands were limp, and it was very easy to slide a diamond ring onto her finger. "I want you to be my wife."

The hurt disappeared to leave behind only the shock. Her breathing hitched and it seemed forced for a moment. Her mouth hung open a little, and he almost laughed.

"I…" One of her hands rested over her chest. "When did you…" She blinked, still taken.

But then she shook her head, blinking several times in rapid succession. A huge smile crossed her face, and she threw her arms around him, tackling him to the floor, laughing hysterically.

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They drove another day and a half, taking back roads and old highways to New Mexico. Most of the way, Renesmee hung her hand out the window, admiring the sunlight on the diamond ring that glinted on her left hand.

A few times, though, she did bring her hand back in to better maneuver his pants off enough to give him some really amazing road head. For a solid half an hour stretch through a barren part of Arizona, her head bobbed up and down in his lap, teasing him with the tip of her tongue and driving him slowly out of his mind. They didn't pass a single car the entire time, so nobody noticed when he jerked the wheel several times.

They arrived at their destination in time to eat before sundown. They left the car parked and he ran with her through the wilderness for several miles before he stopped, having found the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

She'd been right to bring him here. The sky looked like it had been painted, and he watched with her as the oranges gave way to brilliant, shocking reds, and eventually deep purples. Her warm body stayed firmly in his arms the whole time, and she burrowed closer to his side from time to time.

And when it was over, when the color had all faded from the sky, leaving a rich, deep blue velvet, he made love to her again under the wide, starry sky.

They took the 101 home, taking their time as they wound up the shore. They stalled as long as they could. They stopped in San Francisco, which was dreary and damp, but the strange fog made it like they were living in their own little world. When they hit Washington and Forks, they went so far as to stop at Charlie and Sue's, showing off her new ring and making them promise not to breathe a word. Hopefully, her dad wouldn't come here before coming home. She'd called yesterday to say they were in Oregon and heading back soon. Her father had been short with her—one word answers only.

Their reunion would not be pretty.

She sat in the passenger seat, staring moodily out at the rain. "I don't want to go home," she said softly. "My dad's going to have a fit and I might not see you for a couple of days."

Jacob frowned. "That's not going to happen," he vowed. "I'll wait around until he leaves, then I'll climb in your window. Nobody can see it from the street."

She was peering into the rain. "Pull over real quick, will you?" she asked, pointing to a road that wove back into the trees. Confused, he complied. He wondered what was going on. They weren't far from Seattle.

He stopped the car at her request, turning it off to save the gas.

She climbed on top of him, reclining his seat, and he grinned up at her. "Seriously? We pulled over for a quickie?" He was caught up with her right away, thrusting up against her when she ground herself against him.

"Yep." She was working on his belt. "Just to be safe." She shoved his pants down enough to release his erection, and he sighed with relief. Under her dress, he was surprised to find she wasn't wearing any panties, and it was simple to thrust up into her, groaning as her tight, wet body enveloped his. A wild moan escaped her lips and she threw back her head. Her hair tangled against the few bare inches of his thigh, and he rested his hands up under her dress, on her hips.

"Can you pull the top down?" he gasped at her.

She complied with his wishes, and he very nearly came right then. The woman had worn absolutely nothing under her dress today. Her breasts were immediately bared for him when she pulled down the top of her outfit, and he sat his seat up a little straighter so he could reach them. The change in incline changed his angle inside of her slightly, and she moaned long and loud as she worked herself on his body.

He was pretty sure he was obsessed with her beasts, with the pink nipples that jutted out toward him. He pulled one into his mouth, thrusting sharply up and moaning against her. A cry of pain-laced pleasure reverberated through the car when he bit down on her nipple. He could feel her starting to cave, but he knew he'd go when she did, and he didn't want to be done yet.

"Don't come yet, baby," he whispered in her ear. "Here, stop for a minute. I want to do something."

Five minutes later, they climbed, naked, laughing, and aroused, out of the car. The smell of the rain on her skin was like ambrosia, and he lay her down in a nest of ferns before he slid into her again. The rain fell around them, cooling their overheated skin and drenching both of them. He thrust into her again, and she cried out in delight.

"Oh, God," she moaned. He sat up on his knees so he could pull her up to him. Her head went back again and her fingers moved to toy with her own nipples. There was something erotic about watching her touch herself. She knew exactly what to do to make herself come, and it turned him on.

He moved again, onto his back so that she was on top of him again. "Sit up, baby," he whispered in her ear. She shoved herself up, bracing her hands on his chest. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was hanging open. Somehow, she'd managed not to come yet.

He thrust up into her again, and she whimpered, rocking her hips on him again. She was tight and clenching. With heavy eyes, Jacob watched as she resumed her motions from the car. Lacing their fingers together, he put one of her hands on her breast and the other on her clit. "I want to watch you touch yourself," he stated. Her eyes opened, and they were hazy with lust. "Make yourself come on me."

Immediately, her slender fingers began moving under his, and she worked herself hard on him. It wasn't long before she released, screaming louder than he'd ever heard her. It was long, and he finished with her, like he'd known he would.

Eventually, she informed him that she'd jacked hotel towels from Vegas, and he burst out laughing. The woman was sitting on an impressive investment portfolio, possibly worth almost a million dollars by now, and she stole towels from Planet Hollywood. It was a good thing, though, because the rain had soaked them both through. They changed clothes in the car, laughing at the positions they had to contort themselves into to accomplish this normally simple task.

Edward and Bella's new Seattle house was big, looking out over Puget Sound, and pulling up in front of it did not make Jacob feel particularly warm and fuzzy. They sat in the driveway, silent and staring.

"They're not home," she said softly.

"How do you know?"

"Because if they were home, my dad would be glaring at me out of a front window, which he's not doing." She sighed heavily. "This is going to suck."

He carried her suitcase up to the front door for her before wrapping his arms around her. "I wish you could just come home with me."

She smiled slightly. "I do, too," she said, sighing heavily. Propping her chin on his chest, she smiled at him. "Soon?"

"As soon as I can make enough for a down payment someplace that's up to your standards," he said, winking down at her.

"I'm going to start looking for a job," she said thoughtfully.

Jacob burst out laughing at this. "Seriously?" he asked.

"Seriously." She grinned. "I think I'm going to go straight after this little adventure. Maybe my dad will take me seriously then."

"You're going to make a living cleaning people's teeth," he said thoughtfully. "Should be fun."

"Yeah," she said, and her voice was a little doubtful. "I've just never had a job before. Does it suck?"

He chuckled and tucked her curls behind her ear. "Sometimes," he said honestly. "But it feels good to get a paycheck you worked hard for, instead of just having money handed to you all the time."

"Is that why you won't just let daddy pay for everything for you?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Call me tonight and I'll tell you all about it. We need a good topic of discussion since he's probably not going to let me come over tonight."

"I'll talk to him," she said, sighing. "He can't keep up this whole 'no sex under my roof' thing forever. It's unrealistic. I mean, the cherry's popped—it's not growing back." He snorted with laughter. "Seriously," she said. He blinked. She _was_ really serious. "I'm going to marry you and we're going to live together. He's crazy if he thinks I'm going to suddenly start abstaining from sex. Nothing's stopped us before."

"He's going to want to fight about it," Jacob warned.

"Oh, Jesus!" she said, exasperatedly. "I know. He'll be expecting it. I just have to take a lot of deep breaths and be calm. No fights." She grinned. "If I don't fight with him, maybe it'll fuck with his head a little and he'll cave."

He gave her one last lingering kiss before returning to the car. He sat for a minute, staring after her, before he sighed heavily and pulled away.

Soon, he promised himself, he would never have to drive away from her again.

_a/n And if you want to know what happens immediately following this, I already told you. Please refer to "Job." It's there. Rereading is okay. I won't stop you. I would never do such a terrible thing!_

_Speaking of "Job," there's an outtake from it posted, if you haven't already seen it. Outtakes will be posted periodically, whenever I get the urge. This particular one is the result of what happened when Renesmee sent pictures of Carlisle in scrubs to Esme. *ahem*_

_REVIEW!_


	19. Touching: Pt 2

_a/n I happened to notice that alerts and favorites both tallied 69 at the same time. I took it as a sign. That and the fact that you simultaneously passed the 200 mark._

_IF YOU ARE UNDERAGE, HIT PAGE DOWN A BUNCH OF TIMES. SERIOUSLY. RIGHT NOW. SHOO._

_The rest of you, enjoy…_

_Seriously, kids, just skip this one. If you can't buy porn, you can't read this. Go away. Santa will put you on his naughty list, and it's only March...  
_

_Side note: Please let me know if you spot any grammatical errors. I'm really tired. And hungry. I'm sure I missed a few.  
_

_**TOUCHING**_

_**Part 2**_

Jacob had seen a vagina before. Before, when he was still a teenager, he saw them in the porn magazines he managed to get his hands on. Most of them, he'd noticed, had been shaved. He hadn't liked the shaved ones.

He'd nearly come in his pants when he'd reached down her panties and felt that she had a full patch of hair down there. The virgin in him, that very curious deviant, wanted to see it. He could feel that it was coarse, like his was, but it was still somehow softer than his. Now, he wanted to know what color it was.

And if she was going to give him a blow job, he was going to go down on her.

He'd fantasized about her pussy, what it would look like, while her mouth worked on him. He hadn't expected her to swallow, but he'd come too fast when her fingers, wet from the fluids from her own pussy, had wrapped around his dick. She'd shown him her pleasure at his taste, and he'd nearly brought to life her fantasy of him making love to her.

But they weren't ready quite yet.

So he laid her against the pillows so that he could return the favor, instead.

He was already naked, and it wasn't as uncomfortable as he'd thought it would be. Clearly, she took pleasure from the sight of him. There was no way any part of her could be unattractive to him, and so he was anxious to see everything.

"You okay?" he asked, kissing the soft skin above her panty line.

Her earlier laughs had turned to soft sighs of pleasure, and she nodded slightly.

"I'm taking these off," he said, tugging at her panties. "Not that I don't like them." He pressed his lips to the soaked lace at the junction of her thighs, and she moaned. It was true. The sight of her in nothing but a pair of little white panties was enough to make another erection start up. But this time, he reminded himself, it was about her. Slowly, watching her face the entire time, he pulled off her underwear, tossing them to the side. She had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and was staring down at him, eyes hooded slightly.

"Relax, baby," he whispered, feeling tension in her muscles. "Do you want to wait?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I want this, I'm just worried…"

He frowned. "What?"

She gave him a strange look. "You really want to?" She seemed confused. "I thought guys didn't like to."

Relieved, his frown relaxed. He pressed another kiss to her belly, staring up into her face so she could see the truth in his eyes. "I've wanted to do this to you for a while now," he said quietly. "And some guys actually really like it."

She smiled a little. "You think you're one of those guys?"

"I have a very strong suspicion." He winked at her, and for the first time, he pulled back enough to stare at her.

The first thought that registered with him was not a thought, so much, as a color: _pink_.

His face was only about a foot away from her and her legs were spread, so her vertical lips were on full display for him. The pink flesh was glistening with her arousal, and he ran a finger along the creases. She squirmed and moaned slightly.

His second thought came out in a spout of word vomit. "Your hair's red," he stated, feeling his face flush a little.

She giggled at this. "Yeah," she said, her face blushing to match her folds. "I can shave it, if you want me to."

"If you ever shave yourself to look like a twelve year old," he said, wrapping his hands under her thighs, "I will never forgive you."

He leaned a little closer, this time letting his tongue dart out to follow the path his fingers had followed.

"Oh!" She sat up a little straighter, her eyes wide.

Jacob smirked. "Did you like that?"

"I think so," she said slowly. "It was so quick."

"I'm sorry," he said, leaning down again. "Is this better?"

This time, he slid his tongue between the folds and up to the top. He moaned uncontrollably at the flavor. It tasted similar to the way she smelled, but better. Musky and sexy.

"Oh, God," she groaned.

He grinned from between her legs. "Good?" he asked.

"So good, baby." Her fingers reached down to wrap in his hair. "Don't stop, though." Her legs tried close slightly, but he shoved them forcefully apart.

"Leave them there," he growled. "I wanna see what I'm doing."

She grinned. "Like what you see?"

"You have the prettiest pussy," he murmured, licking her tenderly again. She cried out, the sound echoing off the walls. He reached up a hand to cover her lips. "Not too loud, baby," he murmured. "Wouldn't want them to hear you at the other house." The rest of the family was only about three quarters of a mile down the road.

A whimper escaped her lips while he continued his tender licking. She really did have a very beautiful honey hole. Again, nothing compared to the porn or images he'd been subjected to through the thoughts of his pack members. He alternated between looking at it and looking at her face. "Do you like that?"

"Oh, Jacob," she moaned, and her legs were struggling to close now. More moisture started leaking from her body while he licked her, and he darted his tongue into her pussy to taste it. "Oh, God."

He very nearly broke down and fucked her when he felt with his tongue how tight she was on the inside. Earlier, when he'd fucked her with his fingers, he'd noted the same thing, but somehow, when she was clenching around his tongue, it was even more arousing than before.

"Talk to me, baby," he murmured, laying a tender kiss at her opening. She moaned loudly, tossing her hair back. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"I want…" She gasped, writhing on the bed under him. "Fuck."

"Tell me."

"I want you to lick my clit," she moaned, and her face turned purple with embarrassment.

He wasn't going to have any of that. He gave her another kiss. "Don't be afraid to tell me what you like, babe," he said gently. "I want to hear you."

Guys seemed to think a woman's clit was hard to find, but Jacob kind of felt like when you were looking at it this close, there were giant arrows pointing at it. It wasn't very big—about the size of a pea. Maybe that's why they called it a bean. He spent a few minutes torturing her, rubbing her with his fingers while he stared at her, blowing soft cool air across her hypersensitive flesh. Finally, he let the tip of his tongue dart out to touch the little button, exposed as it was by his hand gently holding back the flesh that covered it.

"Ooh!" She'd been lying down again, and she bolted upright. "Ah!" He licked it again. "Fuck!" Again. "Oh, Jesus, Jake, please don't stop, please." Her voice was pleading as he licked her over and over. His fingers added to the equation, thrusting into her over and over. He noticed quickly that when he curled his fingers up, toward her pelvis, and licked her clit at the same time, even more moisture gushed out. This was accompanied by another moan or groan or shout of pleasure.

When he looked up at her face again, he could see how close she was to her release. Her legs were spread of her own accord now—she'd tucked her heals under her butt, and her knees were almost touching the bed. The beautiful pink flesh of her pussy was coated with her juices, and when she came a moment later, more flowed from her. He pressed his mouth against her, licking it up. The wet sounds of his mouth on her made his erection harder.

He kept licking her until the movement of her hips had slowed and stopped. When he looked up at her, her eyes were closed and there was a lazy smile on her face. He thought briefly of the fact that Rachel and Paul had sex, and it was enough to kill off his erection so that he could straighten up and lie next to her.

She had dozed off it seemed. Poor thing. He cuddled up to her, and she gave a contented little sigh, nuzzling into his side.

It still shocked him that she was so open about her sexuality with him. Sure, some things embarrassed her, but she had learned a long time ago that any questions she had for him would be answered honestly, and that he would never mock her embarrassment. She was safe with him.

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The first thing to register was that she was very warm when she woke. Not uncomfortably by any means—just cozy. There was a vibration under her cheek, and she opened her eyes.

Jacob was on the phone, talking very quietly.

"Please?" he asked softly. "Just this one thing for me."

Blinking, Renesmee recognized her mother's voice on the other end. "If it's not a big deal, why can't you tell me?"

"Because I don't think it's a big deal, and you probably wouldn't think it's a big deal, but Edward would flip. And I'm betting money he's sitting right next to you."

"So if I move will you tell me?"

"No," he said. "Only when I can see for myself that he's nowhere in the vicinity will I give you an inkling of what's going on in my head." His chest rose and fell as he sighed. A smile crossed his face when he saw she was awake, and he reached down to brush a curl from her face. "Please? If you don't, they'll fight, and who knows what will break this time."

"Yeah," she mumbled. "They have been known to wreck floorboards with the pacing and the stomping." She sighed dramatically. "Fine. But you owe me an explanation."

"Later," he amended.

"Later," she concurred. "We'll be home in a bit. We just left."

So, about an hour and a half, if her father was driving, which he always did.

"Alright. See you soon." He hung up and smiled down at her. "Hey, baby. Have a nice nap?"

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, stretching against him. She blushed when she realized she was still naked while he'd put on his jeans and boxers. "How long was I asleep?"

"About an hour." He wrapped his arms around her. "An hour of moaning and squirming."

She could feel her cheeks redden. "Sorry," she giggled.

"Your mom's on the way home," he said, tossing the phone onto the end of the bed. "You may want to shower." His eyes were sparkling.

Reaching up, she brushed his hair back, running a hand over the soft russet skin of his cheek. "You look a little happier," she said, smiling slightly.

"I am happy," he stated, grinning down at her. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Do you have any idea how much I love with you?"

"Yep." She cuddled against his chest. "I reciprocate the feeling." In an effort to get closer to him, she threw a leg over his hip and blushed again when she felt his erection straining against his jeans. She reached down to tug at the belt loops. "Why don't you take these off for a little bit?" Her slender fingers moved to unbutton his fly. She half expected him to stop her, but his breathing only got heavier as she slid his pants down, leaving him on her bed in his boxers. The covers moved with her as she slid down the bed, and she sat up on her knees, eyes wide.

"It's so thick," she blurted, reaching out to take his erection in her hand. It had escaped the boxers entirely and protruded upward, long and proud. She pumped him several times, wondering if she should give him head again. He'd seemed to like it before.

And if she were honest, she'd enjoyed it immensely.

"Fuck," he groaned, and his head pressed back into the pillow. "Jesus."

"You like that?" She felt a little smug, and her voice was coy.

"Fuck yes," he moaned. His hips thrust against her hand. "Shit."

"Do you want me to put it in my mouth again?" She felt her cheeks flame again, and his eyes opened in surprise.

"Do you want to?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, still beet red. Ugh. Embarrassing. "Please?"

She had heard that the pupils could enlarge suddenly during sexual activity, but seeing it firsthand was entirely arousing. "Fuck," he mumbled. She squealed with shock when he wrapped his arms around her, rolling them so that he was on his back. His fingers reached down to rub her aching flesh. "Say please again."

Eyebrows raised, she appraised him at that moment. It seemed the filthier she spoke to him, the more he liked it. Interesting. "Will you please let me suck your cock, Jacob?" she asked, smirking at him and giving him a little squeeze. He gave a cry of pleasure. "Please?"

"Fuck," he growled. His lips were on hers again, and she moaned with one of his hands reached up to toy with her nipples. She cried out, the sound echoing off her bedroom walls. "I should have fucking known you'd have a filthy mouth," he growled. Carefully, gently, he gave one of her nipples a little tug, and she shrieked. "Do you like that?"

"Yes," she moaned, her mind going blank. It felt so _good_. "Oh, yes."

"I can't wait to fuck you," he growled, nipping on her earlobe. She gave another cry, this one of shock, when he pushed her hands away forcefully to rub his erection against her. The feeling of him sliding back and forth between her dripping folds, but not penetrating, was almost painful. He hummed against her ear. "You want it so bad—I can feel it."

"Yes, baby," she moaned, and she tried to shift closer. "Oh, yes." It almost felt like she was gushing, and maybe she was, but he was within inches of penetration. He was almost inside her...

He rubbed himself between her folds again, teasing, but never entering. "That's all you get," he whispered, pulling away. "For now," he added, kissing the tip of her nose when she pouted. Then he pulled her closer, his lips brushing her ear and making her quiver. "You want my cock in your mouth?" he whispered in her ear, and she shuddered, nodding. "Sit on my face and you can suck my dick."

_Holy shit._ She blinked. Did he just say…

Before she could even finish her thought, he'd tugged her up enough that he could slide under her. She turned around so that she would be facing his lower half, and her eyes rolled back in her head when his arms wrapped around her thighs. His mouth was pressed fully against her in an instant, and she leaned down, gasping, to take him back in her own mouth.

The sounds were almost as arousing as the feelings themselves. Wet sounds, slurping, sucking, and, in the end, gulping. When they'd both finished, they lay on their backs, panting, until she suddenly broke into a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Can you imagine if my parents came home right now?" She was still giggling. "Oh, God, I can imagine my dad's face."

"I'd rather not push it," Jacob muttered. He rolled around on the bed so that his head was next to hers. "Fuck," he whispered, pressing his lips to her collarbone. "I love you."

"So show me," she whispered back. She pressed herself closer to him, and he sighed.

"I will," he said quietly. "Honestly, I don't think I can hold out too much longer. Just not today." He rested his cheek against her breast and smiled up at her. "I'd hate to be in the middle of our first time and have your dad walk in. Like I said, I'd rather not push it."

Parents. Right. She sighed and wound her fingers into his hair. He looked boyish, grinning up at her, and a little smile worked its way from the corners of her lips to her entire mouth as she just stared at him.

"What?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Nothing." She tousled his hair. "We need to get cleaned up. My parents have excellent senses of smell."

"Do you want to come with you tomorrow?" Tomorrow, she had her class in Seattle.

"You want to watch me clean people's teeth?" she asked, scrunching her nose.

"Yeah," he laughed, rolling off to the side so that he could reach for his boxers. She blushed at his shameless and likely unintentional display of his limp, but still impressive, privates. "I think it's funny you're trying dental hygiene out."

"It's weird," she said, still blushing as she gathered the sheet around her so she could sit up, "but I find it enjoyable. It's very mundane."

"Mundane?" He laughed, pulling his shirt on and hiding his chest from her view. She pouted a little, and his laughter increased. "You're so damn cute, do you know that?" He returned to the bed, crawling toward her and kissing her, making her giggle a little. "That's better. No frowning, kid. You know my poor heart can't handle it."

"Right." Renesmee rolled her eyes, but accepted another teasing peck on the lips. "I'd hate to make you cry."

"I'm going to head out," he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I need to get home and check on Billy." The smile faded from his face. "He's had a pretty bad week. Carlisle's coming over later."

"Do you want me to come with you?" She peered into his face intently. "You know, to keep you guys company? I'll make you dinner."

He grinned. "How the hell can I say no when the most beautiful girl in the world offers to make me dinner?"

And again, with the blush. "Shut up."

"No, seriously." He made his face grave, but there was a little twitch at the corners of his mouth that gave him away. "I can't cook, so if you're offering…"

"Shut up," she said again, this time tossing her hair. "We both know I'm a fantastic cook." It was true. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Well, you can't argue the most beautiful girl in the world part," he said, rolling his eyes and giving her a mockingly exasperated look. "Seriously. I've seen the whole thing now, so I can honestly say, nobody else is as beautiful as you."

"Stop it," she groaned, when he leaned in to nip at the tender skin over her collarbone. "Not fair."

"Sorry." He pulled away, grinning again. "Let's go."

"Let me call my dad first."

The conversation was short, clipped, as many of these conversations were. He'd ask questions, and she did her best to hide any annoyance she felt from creeping into her voice.

"Is Billy going to be home?" her father asked, his voice a little unsure.

"Yes, daddy, he'll be there the whole time." She rolled her eyes. _Where else would he be?_

"And how are you getting home?" he asked. "Are you driving? Is Jacob taking you?"

"Jacob's taking me, and I can probably get grandpa to drive me home after he checks on Billy tonight." She sighed softly, trying not to be snippy. It was difficult…

"Oh, I forgot Carlisle was going over tonight," her father said, and his voice sounded relieved.

"God, dad, don't you think you can trust me at all?" The annoyance was not entirely stoppable, and it bubbled out a bit.

"Is there a _reason_ I shouldn't trust you?" He sounded like he was implying something.

"Really, dad, name me one time I have actually done something wrong." She flopped back against the pillows. "I've misbehaved, not followed a couple of rules, sure. But when have I ever done something so wrong it was life altering?" There was silence. "I know I can be a brat, but I'm not going to do something stupid. Geeze, man, give me some credit." She tried to make her voice a little teasing, but the tension was still there.

There was a rush of air as he sighed. "I know." He was quiet for a moment before he said, "Why don't you just drive yourself? That way you can go home whenever."

Renesmee felt the suspicious look cross her face, and it apparently was amusing, because Jacob started to chuckle. "Is this a trick?"

"Be home by eleven," he ordered. "No messing around."

Eleven o'clock was the latest curfew he'd ever voluntarily given her. "Seriously?"

"And you can't drive the Porsche," he added. His voice sounded very serious.

"That's fine." She blinked. "Thank you, daddy."

"Yes, yes," he said, and now she could hear his reluctant smile. "I know, 'I love you, daddy.'"

"I do," she beamed. "I love you bunches!"

He laughed outright. "Behave yourself, young lady," he ordered. "And I love you, too."

She giggled as she hung up the phone.

"Billy's been going to bed around nine, and sleeping pretty hard," Jacob said, grinning. "Maybe time for a little more practice later?"

She smirked. "Absolutely."

_a/n Hope you liked it! I spent the whole day in my pajamas to get it done, but it was a lovely day. I also did dishes. So put that in your pipe and smoke it…_

_Then kindly leave a REVIEW. Thanks!_


	20. Day

_a/n Just a reminder, as stated in "Runaway," these do NOT go in chronological order. I know it's off-putting. I did it on purpose. If everything were easy to read, there would be no classics. Not that this is a classic, but you get the idea. Sorry. That said, I do happen to have an outline with everything in order. If you want the order so far, let me know and I'll send it to you. I've never read them in chronological order, so whoever does will have to let me know how the flow is. I'm sure there are a few little things here and there, and those will be edited out at a later date, but if you could let me know via PM where you see those, I'd love you forever. I've said it before, I am a beta-less writer—I would never want to subject anyone to my tedious scheduling._

_That said, we're going way back… A long time ago, russetfurbr suggested this one and it's taken a while, but here it is… And it's first person, for the first half. Wasn't sure how else to go about it. Please observe the rapidfire development. Keep in mind, she's got to be reading in about a month or two. Fluidly. So enjoy._

_**DAY**_

Everything is fuzzy. Can't see anything, but can hear…

Voices.

Big. Bright. Voices that have faces now. Familiar voice, speaking more clearly than before.

Loud. Voices are so much louder. Heartbeat faster… Not good.

Face is pretty, pretty voice like before, but easier now. "Renesmee." Nice face. Happy face?

Someone else speaking. Momma.

Moving. Brush Big Man's skin so warm warm warm warm…

Blood everywhere, and so thirsty.

Momma momma momma momma…

Pretty. Momma weak.

So thirsty…

Bite momma. Just a little.

"No, Renesmee."

No no no no no no no no no no no no no…

Momma is far away. Momma's eyes close.

Daddy move do something daddy daddy daddy…

Big Man moves. Trying to help momma breathe? Doesn't look… Look here look at me look…

"Take the baby."

"Throw it out the window."

Window? Throw?

Blinking. Not understand…

"Give her to me."

_So_ pretty! Long hair, good to play with. Familiar voice, too. Not momma…

Arms are cold, but it's okay. Nice hand to hold. Cheek is soft. Smells nice here, like daddy, but not same. Word word word word word word…

Gold eyes blink. "Different," she says.

Different. Not same.

Mouth open. Walking away.

Why won't Big Man look at me?

Funny sound. "Just ignore the dog," she says, hair moves fast behind her. Eyes still so big. Big face change. "I'm smiling," she says, doing it again, but bigger. "This is unbelievable."

Unbelievable? Big word.

Laugh. Know a laugh. Smile back. More attention if smile.

"I'm so happy to see you, little one," she says, smiling again. "I'm your Aunt Rosalie."

Aunt?

"I'm daddy's sister."

Sister?

"He and I have the same momma."

Movement. New person. "Rosalie?" Familiar voice. "What's going on up there?"

Aunt Rosalie makes another face. Not smile. Backward smile? "I don't know." Voice different now, not happy. "Edward was still pumping venom into her last time I was listening. It was bad, Alice. She was in terrible shape."

Alice. Another backward smile. "Oh, my God."

Can hear momma is breathing again. Heart is beating…

Sound not normal. Big Man and daddy talking, hard to hear…

Aunt Rosalie looks up. Look at me, look at me…

Not looking. Move face. Make not happy face.

Alice and Aunt Rosalie laugh, seem not so sad. Alice moves, comes closer. "Hello," she says, finger wiggles. "I'm your Auntie Alice. You are just too cute!"

Backward smile. Not understand…

"You have two aunts, Renesmee," Rosalie says. "You have uncles, too—daddy's brothers. Boy sisters." Laugh.

"Rose, it's like she understands any of this." Eyes go in a circle.

Backward smile.

Very happy laugh. "Oh, she understands perfectly." Aunt Rosalie makes a laugh. "She has a basic understanding already of what is going on around her, and she has a basic vocabulary. She keeps thinking of a frown as a backward smile." Head to side. "Can't you hear her?"

Frown. Frown frown frown. Aunt Alice makes a frown. "No." Slow talk.

No, she can't hear. No touch.

Touch touch touch.

"Alice, come here!"

_Fast_. "What is it?"

"Put her little hand on your face." Rosalie has a big smile.

New arms. Aunt Rosalie goes away. Where? Sounds can't see…

I… I I I… I can't see…

"Oh, wow." Aunt Alice's eyes big. "That's amazing."

Where Aunt Rosalie? Where where where…

"I think she's getting you something to drink." Aunt Alice smiles. Look up as Aunt Rosalie comes back. "She looks like a baby Edward."

"I know." Arms come out, take me back. "Go get Jasper and Emmett. They have to see her."

Aunt Alice is _fast_.

Thirsty…

Sound somewhere. Sound like when came here, left momma…

Momma momma momma…

"Momma will be upstairs for a little while," Aunt Rosalie says, looking up. Frown. Very quiet, still moving upstairs. Frown goes away. Big smile. "Momma will be fine." Voice so quiet. "Here, baby."

Drink drink drink… So good. Hands hold cup…

More moving. Big Man is coming down. Big Man has a very sad face. Why is Big Man's face so sad?

More than sad. Not nice at all. Why won't Big Man look at me? Want him to look. Look at me, look at me…

Make frown. Aunt Rosalie and Aunt Alice laugh when I frown. Make Big Man laugh…

Pretty hair, pretty face. Look look look at me…

See? Look, I'm pretty! Look at me look at me!

Eyes open and close very fast. Big Man doesn't look so sad now. Make a smile.

Big Man smiles back. Happy face. Walks over. Aunt Rosalie doesn't like that. Makes an angry noise.

"Stay away from her, dog." Angry voice. Big frown.

"I just wanted to see her." Deeper voice than daddy. Familiar voice.

"Get back." Scary sound.

"Please?" Big Man looks sad again. Holds out hands. "I just want to see her." Want Big Man. Big arms and very warm. Let go, let go, let go go go go go…

Let go! Maybe if I bite, Aunt Rosalie will let go…

"Oh!" Didn't hurt her at all. "What's wrong, baby?" She takes my hand to put on her cheek.

Let go let go let go… Want Big Man. No more sad face.

"Oh, God." Aunt Rosalie's eyes go in a circle. "Really?"

Let go let go let go…

"Fine." Voice grumbly. She doesn't want to let me go. She likes me. I like her—she's pretty and soft.

Big Man has warm hands. Warm face. Uncle?

"Woah!" Big eyes again. Big laugh. "Sorry, kid, that just surprised me a little. Wow."

Like me? Like me please like me…

Big Man looks at Aunt Rosalie. Funny face. "Is she for real?"

"What did she show you?"

"She keeps showing me a picture of me holding her and I'm smiling and I…" Frown. No no no no no. "Huh." Frown gone. "She doesn't like it when I frown."

Sound again. Aunt Alice and someone I don't know.

"Jasper, isn't she adorable?" Head to side. "Jacob, what are you doing?"

"I just…" Big Man shrugs. Jacob? Jacob Jacob Jacob Jacob. "I just wanted to hold her. She's cute."

"She's cute?" Aunt Alice looks at other person. Jasper. "What's going on?"

"Jacob, why don't you give her to Alice." Jasper's voice is low, but not as low as Jacob. "Alice, you can take her back upstairs. I'm sure Edward would like to see her more than the rest of us."

"Oh, goodness." Aunt Alice shakes her head back and forth. "Hand her over, Jake."

"But I just got her." Jacob's voice goes higher. "And I—"

"Jacob." Aunt Alice makes a scary face. "Hand. Her. Over."

New arms. Aunt Alice is smaller than Jacob. Pretty smile, pretty face.

Up, up, up…

Momma's heart beat is closer. Momma momma momma…

Daddy! I can see daddy give me daddy want daddy daddy daddy…

Aunt Alice makes a laugh. "Someone wants her daddy, Edward."

Daddy colder than Jacob, daddy smells good. Daddy has the biggest smile I've ever seen! So happy. Nice face. Happy daddy glad daddy is happy…

Then new face. "I'm confused," he says in slow voice. Very quiet for a while. I can see momma.

Scared. Momma want momma…

"In a few days, baby girl." Daddy sad now. "Momma just needs a long nap so she can feel better."

My fault my fault my fault…

"Shh…" Aunt Alice goes away and it's just daddy and momma sleeping.

Angry voices down below. Daddy makes new frown. Looks angry. "I'm going to murder Jacob Black."

Murder?

"Kill him," he says.

No no no no nonononononononono…

noise something hit push move

"Oh, for heaven's sake." Daddy lets out air. "This is insane. You're an hour old."

No no no. Daddy no hurt Jacob please doesn't daddy like me my fault my fault momma sick…

"No." New voice, new face. Daddy smiles, but it's different. "It's not your fault, darling. It's nobody's fault. Momma will be fine."

Jacob Jacob Jacob

"And I won't kill Jacob," he says. "Not yet."

Make a frown.

Daddy laughs. Very happy face. "You're just the cutest thing ever, aren't you?" Cute? "Very pretty." Faces very close, daddy's lips touch my hair. "I love you very much, you know?" Big happy smile. "I'm glad you're finally here."

I like daddy. Daddy is nice. Daddy thinks I'm pretty.

"You are so very pretty." Big smile. "Would you like to see yourself? Come on." Goes to another part of the room. Picks up shiny shiny shiny shiny... Little laugh. "Look, Renesmee. See yourself?"

Touch. Me? That's me?

I look like daddy. Hair nose ears all the same. Not same eyes though. Different shape, different color.

"You have momma's eyes, though," he says. Lips on head again, another little laugh. "And, I'd venture to say, your grandpa's curly hair. You are a very pretty girl, Renesmee. Wait until your aunts start dolling you up in new clothes." More fast air from mouth.

Daddy's face is very close. Daddy's hair is pretty. Want to touch. Daddy makes smile and puts his head down. Daddy is smart daddy already knows.

Soft hair. Good for wrapping fingers in. Pull.

Daddy makes another smile and a little laugh. "You poor thing." Voice very quiet now. "You're going to have the same mess on top of your head that I do."

Mess mess mess mess…

Another laugh. Don't understand. Make a frown.

Daddy keeps laughing.

"Oh, wait until you're older." He shakes his head. "I hear you." One of daddy's fingers taps my forehead. Another laugh. "I don't need your hand, but I will take it if it makes you feel better."

Daddy's hands are bigger. Comfortable. Cool feels nice. Tired…

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Jacob's feet could not stay still. Between the sound of his friend's racing heart and the pull of the beautiful baby girl upstairs, there was nothing of interest in the living room to him. It had been several hours, and there was no sound from upstairs. Alice had gone up to check on them a few times, and while they were still a little concerned, the fact that Bella's heart was still pumping seemed to indicate she would be fine. During this entire time, Edward had kept the baby upstairs. It was difficult not to interrupt. He understood—Edward was meeting his daughter, calming her. But Jacob wanted to help.

The sound of a car in the driveway was a good excuse to get to his feet, walking past Emmett to look outside. Carlisle's black Mercedes was pulling into the driveway, and Jacob bounced a little on the balls of his feet. Carlisle would go upstairs, and he could go with on the pseudo-pretense of checking on Bella.

Sure enough, when he walked in the front door, the normally polite doctor headed straight upstairs without a word to his family. Of all the Cullens, Carlisle was the best at acting human, and it was a little disconcerting to see him flash up the stairs quicker than Jacob could even blink. He was already on his feet and right behind Carlisle.

Carlisle stood in the hall, facing Edward, who was standing just inside the doorway of the office where Bella still lay, unmoving.

His best friend lay on her back on the table. Edward had cleared away the bloody sheets, but there was nothing he could do to hide the damage to her stomach. It was gruesome and very disturbing. He'd seen a lot of disconcerting things in his life, and he hoped, like with so many of them, that this image would eventually fade, even though he knew it wouldn't happen. The image of his broken friend would burn in his brain forever.

His broken friend…

He blinked, realizing that, for the first time he could recall, he felt nothing toward her other than friendship. His concern was not for the girl he loved and wanted, but for his brave friend who had given him the greatest gift anyone could ever…

A quiet growl sounded, very low and very close. Jacob had stopped less than a foot away from Edward, drawn by the baby girl in his arms. It was difficult, but Jacob tore his eyes from Renesmee to look at Edward. His lips were pulled back from his teeth, and Jacob actually took a step back, a little startled.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, blinking.

Edward's eyes narrowed a little. "Perhaps mad isn't the right word," he hissed, his voice very soft. "You are very fortunate I have my hands full."

Carlisle's eyebrows rose and he looked slightly confused. "Hello, Jacob," he said, and his voice was friendly. "You're still here?"

"Jacob," Edward growled, "does not plan on leaving any time soon. However, should anyone feel the urge to forcefully remove him from the premises, you would hear no objection from me."

"I'll forcefully remove him," Rosalie growled downstairs. "With relish."

"Can it, Blondie," Jacob said, rolling his eyes. "This doesn't concern you."

"This concerns all of us," she shot back. He kind of wished he could see her face. Her reactions reminded him of some bitchy sorority girl in a movie. It was funny.

"Rosalie." Esme's voice cut in. "Don't be rude."

"But do you hear him?" Her voice was whiny.

In Edward's arms, Renesmee, who had been asleep this entire time, blinked her little eyes open, looking around in confusion. Her inquisitive brown eyes, weirdly focused, settled on Carlisle. She stared at him for a moment before she looked up at Edward. She blinked at him, and he smiled when she tried to reach her hand up to touch his face. The annoyance that had been on his face disappeared and he chuckled softly. "She's curious about you, Carlisle. She wants to know who you are."

"Hello, darling," Carlisle said, stepping closer and leaning down so that he could see straight into her face. He was just close enough for her to reach out and press her fingers to his face. "Oh!" Carlisle jumped back a few inches, startled. "What was that?"

"She's trying to introduce herself," Edward explained, grinning from ear to ear. He stepped closer to Carlisle again. "It's alright."

"It's unsettling at first," Jacob said, a little smile making its way onto his lips. "She's special."

Edward frowned, but Carlisle wasn't paying them any attention. Renesmee's tiny palm was pressed to Carlisle's cheek, and he was gazing at her, his eyes glazed over slightly.

After a minute, he blinked. "Special, indeed," he murmured, and his hands reached out automatically toward her. He smiled at Edward. "May I?"

With a little laugh, Edward handed her over. "I never thought I'd be handing you a baby," he said, shaking his head.

"Hello, Renesmee," Carlisle said, and his voice was almost a croon. "I'm your grandfather. My goodness, aren't you beautiful." He blinked when she gave him a dazzling smile. "Wow," he whispered. He looked up at Edward again. "Do you mind if I take her downstairs? I'm sure Esme's dying to meet her."

"Oh, please, Edward." Esme's voice was pleading.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Yes, mother, I _suppose_ you can meet your granddaughter." He leaned down to press a kiss to his daughter's forehead. "I'm going to stay up here," he said, sighing. His eyes shifted to Jacob, and he jerked his head toward the office, glaring again.

"You can't give me shit about this," Jacob said, taking just a step closer, his voice low. "Seriously. You _know_ I can't help it." Shuddering, he thought of how he'd planned to kill the center of his universe. Thinking of how he'd wanted nothing to do with her, until the universe had informed him that he was being overly judgmental.

Edward sighed wearily and ran a hand unnecessarily over his face. "You weren't the only one," he said quietly, and his head hung in shame.

_Neither of us knew,_ Jacob thought grimly. _If either of us had had our ways, she wouldn't be here. Fortunately, Bella's the smart one here, so you and I can get away with being idiots._

Despite his obvious annoyance with Jacob at the moment, Edward managed a small smile. "I suppose so," he said, glancing again at his wife. He heaved a sigh. "She's so quiet."

"But her heart is still going," Jacob said. It felt odd to be comforting Edward, to truly be making the effort to get along with him. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Yes, it's a good thing." He sighed. "I need to ask one more thing of you, Jacob."

"Anything."

"Speak with Sam," he begged. "I do not want this to turn into a fight."

"It won't," Jacob assured him. Having imprinted on his daughter, Edward's family would be, if anything, more protected from tribal violence now more than ever.

Edward's face turned thoughtful at this. "I suppose I didn't consider that before," he said quietly. "Maybe it's a blessing in a very good disguise." He narrowed his eyes at Jacob.

Jacob raised his hands defensively in front of his chest. "Hey, man, I told you." He grinned. _And if you think I'm going to be possessive, you ought to get a load of your psycho sister downstairs. She's as bad as me._

Edward frowned. "Another point I hadn't considered." His shoulders slumped a little as he turned around and walked slowly back to the chair he'd set next to the bed. He rested his head against her arm, and a soft whine of distress reached Jacob's ears.

_She's going to be okay,_ Jacob thought. _You want me to send Doc up?_

Edward didn't speak—he just nodded.

Jacob turned and walked slowly down the stairs before rounding back into the living room. Renesmee was now in Esme's arms, smiling up at her grandmother and enjoying herself immensely playing with the fingers Esme was wiggling in her little face. All attention was on her, so no one noticed Jacob walk over and give Carlisle's sleeve a slight tug. The doctor's head turned, and Jacob jerked his head at the stairs. Carlisle nodded, and vanished again up the stairs. Jacob listened for a minute, hearing the office door close softly.

Esme glanced after him and flitted to the stairs, Renesmee still in her arms. She stared up after her husband before looking to Jacob, her lovely face inquisitive.

"He's going to check on Bella," Jacob said quietly, stepping closer. The smell no longer mattered. The only thing that mattered was the little girl, who was currently opening and closing her little outstretched fists, trying to get his attention. He grinned goofily. "I see you, kid," he said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Esme's full smile. She handed Renesmee to him easily. It felt oddly natural to take her in his huge hands, cradling her little head carefully.

She was very sturdy, for a baby. She was heavier than he would expect a newborn to be, and he could somehow feel that her skin would not easily give way if she were to pick up a sharp object. He held out a finger to her, and she wrapped her hand around it and held on tight. Very tight.

"Geeze, kid," he laughed, "you've already got an iron grip." She looked oddly at his finger then up at his face. He cocked his head off to the side in response to her inquisitive stare. "What's up, kid?"

She looked back at his finger before she stuck it in her mouth. Maybe she was hungry.

As if in response to his thought, she promptly bit into his finger.

"Jeeze!" He jumped, startled, and yanked his hand away. However, when she scrunched up her little face into her adorable pout-frown, he heaved a sigh and gave it back to her. He glanced up at Esme, who was hiding a smile behind her hand. "Do you think you could get her something to drink?"

"I'll make you something to eat, too, dear," she said, laughing a little. "We wouldn't want you to suffer from an iron deficiency."

"Wonderful," Rosalie's voice said from the living room. "Someone finally found a good use for you, dog."

"Yeah, too bad the same can't be said for you, Blondie." He walked back toward the living room, Renesmee still going to town on his finger. It was starting to hurt. "Okay, kid, sorry, but I'm sure you don't want me to pass out." She made a confused face. "Go unconscious."

Her face suddenly took on an entirely different expression. She held out her hands, and he leaned down so she could press them against his face. She showed him a picture of her mother, lying unconscious upstairs.

_Momma momma momma…_ The thought reverberated in her brain. She just wanted her mother.

"I know, honey," he said quietly, and he sat down. "But she's going to be just fine, you'll see." She showed him the same picture again. It didn't seem like Renesmee agreed that she would be fine when she looked so horrible. One other thought that was in the back of her mind upset him. "This is not your fault," he said firmly, and he was a little surprised when Rosalie came to sit next to them. "Nobody blames you for anything."

"And there's nothing to blame," Rosalie added, her voice soothing. The sound and tender expression on her face were the polar opposite of when she spoke to Jacob. "Momma's going to be fine."

Renesmee gave a little sigh, and her eyes drifted to the doorway through which Esme now walked. Before Jacob could speak, Rosalie was turning to Esme. "Give it to me. I want to feed her."

"You already got to feed her," Jacob objected. "Give someone else a chance."

"You fed her, too," Rosalie retorted, smirk back in place. "You've got the scar to prove it."

"Well in that case," Esme said, grinning, "I suppose I'll have to exercise my motherly rights." She reached down, taking Renesmee from Jacob easily. He and Rosalie gaped at her. She shrugged. "You've both had the opportunity to feed her, so to speak," she added, eyes twinkling. "I've only just met her. You two can decide who gets to feed her next, how about that?"

"Dibs," Jacob said immediately.

"Fine." Rosalie crossed her arms and settled back into the couch, glowering. "I get the next one."

"You should frown more often, Blondie," he shot back, moving to sit next to Alice. "It's funny to see you look less attractive."

"I will take that," she said, tossing her hair, "as a compliment."

And so it began.

_a/n Hope you liked it. Sorry it took so long, but it was difficult to write in the first person of an infant. Fortunately, this is one very smart baby. Leave me reviews!_


	21. Cliff Diving

_a/n Sorry for the delay. Job interviews, Lent, small children, and a restaurant have been keeping me supremely busy. I had some free time this morning, though, to finish this up. Enjoy!  
_

_This is set a few months after "Death," and slightly before "Jealousy." I love that vampires like sex, because I do, too. Beware…_

_**CLIFF DIVING**_

It was one of those rare days in Forks when the sun was out, the temperature was perfect, and the sea was relatively calm. It was one of the days that normally brought people to the beaches in droves, anxious to soak up some much needed vitamin D and relax for a few hours.

It was also the kind of weather that made cliff diving almost mandatory.

Jacob hadn't seen his girlfriend in three days. She'd been locked up, restricted to the compound for forgetting to call her dad last week to say she'd be in Seattle. Maybe today, since the weather was nice, Edward would loosen the iron grip he desperately tried to keep on his daughter.

Or maybe she'd just take off. It wouldn't be like he would be able to follow her.

Still, he didn't want her in more trouble than she already was, so instead of dialing her number, he instead dialed Edward's.

"I'm losing my mind," he said as soon as Edward picked up. "Please, let her come out today? The guys are all going cliff diving and we're going to eat afterward. Please, just for a couple of hours? I promise I'll have her home by ten."

Edward sighed heavily. In the background, Jacob could hear Renesmee begging. "Please, daddy?" He could see her pouting in his mind's eye. "I promise I'll be back on time, I _swear_. I can't stand being in this house for another minute! I'm getting cabin fever!"

Jacob laughed. "Can you honestly say no to the face she's making right now?"

"How do you know she's making a face?" Edward's voice was suspicious.

"Because I know the tone of voice, and it _always_ comes with the same face." Jacob waved as Quil came down the stairs.

Quil rolled his eyes. "You know there's a perfectly good bed upstairs, right?"

"I know."

Edward's voice held a frown. "Are you sleeping on the couch?"

"I'm not sleeping much, period," Jacob said, sighing. "That's the problem."

"Ah." Edward's voice sounded sympathetic. "Well, that's understandable. You know Esme would love it if you'd let her renovate over there. Maybe…"

"Yeah, maybe." Jacob sighed heavily. He hadn't been inside his father's house since his death. His sisters had gone over after the funeral to tidy up and collect a few things—some of their mom's jewelry and clothes Billy had left them—but mostly, everything was untouched. Jacob was sure that if he walked in and saw reminders of his father, he'd break down. Maybe letting Esme renovate would be for the best. And knowing Esme, she's store away the old things if he wanted her to, for when he _was_ ready for the memories. "I'll probably talk to her."

"Daddy!" There was a thud, probably from a stomped foot. "Can I go or not?"

"Fine, but you can't—"

"Oh, come on!" she whined. "You never let me take the good cars! It won't look weird if I show up with mom's car when I'm hanging out with three mechanics."

"Fine." Edward spoke into the phone again. "She's already out the door, starting the car, and waiting for the garage to open," he said. "I'm sure she'll be there shortly."

"Thanks, man." He was sincere. He _needed_ to see her. "I owe you one."

"You owe me a lot more than one," he mumbled. "Have fun. Tell her midnight. She's been relatively well behaved during this grounding than in the past."

"Sweet." He hung up the phone and tossed it onto the coffee table, rubbing his face with his hands. He was completely exhausted, and maybe he could talk her into coming back early enough that she could lay with him while he fell asleep. He slept easier with his face buried in her soft hair.

He daydreamed for a few more minutes before Quil entered with a plate piled with sandwiches. "Gotta eat something, man," he said, setting them down and crossing his arms.

Rolling his eyes, Jacob picked up a sandwich and got up off the couch. His feet kicked aside a few empty beer cans as he moved, and Quil's frown got deeper. "So you're not even sleeping?"

"Not much." Jacob took a bite of sandwich and chewed for a minute while he thought. "It's just hard to shut my brain off, you know?"

Quil nodded, his frown not leaving his face for a second. "You know you can talk to Embry and me. We won't judge you or anything." He shrugged slightly.

"I know," Jacob said. "I'm just not ready to talk about it yet."

"Well, whenever." Quil picked up the plate and held it out. Jacob took it with a small smile at his friend. "In the meantime, you should know Embry's anal about all the furniture in here." He grinned. "He once yelled at me because I had my feet on the ottoman. Then when I asked him what the fuck an ottoman was he acted surprised I didn't know."

Jacob blinked. "It's a footrest."

"Yeah," Quil muttered, crossing his arms again, looking at his feet. "You had an interior decorator, so you would know that."

Despite his glum mood, a wide smile crossed his face. "Damn straight," he said. "Speaking of which, I'm really thinking of having Esme redo my dad's house."

"I think you should." Quil followed Jacob as he walked out onto the front porch to wait for Nessie. "It would probably be good for you, and no offence, but that furniture's outdated."

"By twenty years," Jacob laughed. "I know. That's why I'm saying—have her redo the place. Maybe I can rent it out eventually." He shrugged. "I don't know."

"So you're really going to move?" Quil frowned. "You just got back."

"Yep. I already have a place rented in Seattle, I just need to get a job lined up." He took another bite of his sandwich. He shrugged. "I can't stay here. Anyone would notice that I'm not aging, and neither is she."

"Weird." Quil leaned against the railing. "So are you guys going to move in together?"

"Not yet." Jacob brushed his hands clean of crumbs. "I don't think her parents are quite ready for that yet. Maybe in a year or so, we'll see. I just need to be close enough to drive."

"Speaking of driving, how's the car coming?"

"Very close." Another little smile made its way onto his face. "I got a lot of work done in the last month. Turns out, Billy owned some stock that was worth quite a bit. I sold some and I'm going to have her finished by the time we leave for Seattle."

"It's going to be a sweet ride, man."

"It's already a sweet ride." Jacob glanced up when he heard the squealing of tires on the curvy road that announced his girlfriend's close proximity. "Just needs to look the part. Unlike the cars my girlfriend gets to drive."

Bella's red Ferrari raced up the drive, screeching to a halt. Quil just rolled his eyes and made his way inside, mumbling something about giving people a free show. She climbed from the car, not moving at full speed just in case someone was looking. She looked amazing, even though it was obvious she'd been laying around the house, not dressed to impress. If anything, her plain clothes made her even sexier. She wore a pair of cut off jean shorts with flip flops, and a tight black t-shirt with gold bangles on her wrists. She had been wearing sunglasses, but she'd shoved them up and out of the way. Quickly, and with purpose, she marched up the drive, not slowing or stopping when she crashed into him, pressing him against the wall. Her willing slave, he let her pull his face down to press her lips to his. Her tongue gained entry into his mouth and darted to taste every crevice. A little smile made her lips curl against his when he hoisted her up into his arms, holding her as close as he could. She laughed outright when he tore his lips from hers to bury his face in her hair, inhaling deeply.

"Hi, baby." Her voice was cheery and full of mirth. It was the voice of an angel, sent to rescue him from his current hell.

"God, I missed you." It sounded sappy to say it out loud, but it was true. He held her tightly in his arms, and pressed a soft kiss on her ear. "I love you." He proceeded to kiss every inch of her face while she giggled quietly. "I love you," he whispered, over and over, worshiping her.

"Geeze, Jake, did you miss me or something?" Her voice was teasing. He pulled back to look at her, and her smile dazzled him, rendering him speechless. "I missed you, too." She pressed one more kiss to his lips, this one chaste and soft. "I love you."

He took a deep breath, feeling easy for the first time in days. "You ready to go?" he asked.

She grinned. "Born ready. I was planning on lying around outside today, anyway. So where we going?"

"Cliff diving, then a bonfire." He grinned. "I haven't been in years."

Renesmee never ceased to surprise him. He'd expected her to get excited. He'd half expected her to ask if he was going to let her try, which he wasn't sure he'd let her do. He certainly didn't expect her face to scrunch up in concern and for her to ask, "You're not going to go, are you?"

He blinked. "That was kind of the point," he said slowly. "Do you not want me to go?" He put her back on her feet.

"I don't know." Her shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug. "I'm not nuts about the idea."

"Why?" Confused, he took a little step back to look at her face better. "You know I've gone before."

"I'm just not in the mood to watch you go jumping off of cliff," she explained, a little frown creasing her brow. "It's unsettling."

"It's fine." Grasping her shoulders, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Come on. Let's get Quil and we'll go."

"I'm ready," Quil said, appearing in the doorway in a pair of board shorts and sun glasses. He had both hands out in front of him with thumbs up. "Cliff diving! Yeah!" Renesmee just rolled her eyes and stalked back down the steps toward Quil's SUV. Quil looked confused. "What did I say?"

"Nothing," Jacob muttered. "Yeah, let's get going."

The ride up was quiet, the atmosphere suddenly tense. Quil didn't say anything, still confused. Renesmee sat quietly, staring down at her folded hands. Jacob stared at her.

"I just don't like it," she finally said, her voice very soft. "It seems silly, jumping off a cliff. What do you have to prove?"

"It's not about proving something," Jacob said, his voice also soft. He reached over to take her hand, and he gave her a small smile. It felt like it took more effort than it should, but he needed to reassure her. "Seriously. I've done it a million times before. The weather is perfect, the waves aren't bad at all, and it's nice and warm. It's the perfect day for it and…" He sighed, the smile fading. He forgot for a moment that Quil was driving, hearing every word. "I just really want to feel that rush."

Renesmee hung her head, lacing her fingers through his. Her thoughts were almost ashamed. _Don't I make you feel enough of a rush?_

Guilt rushed through him. He'd been distracted for the past few months, dealing with the aftermath of Billy's death, and he supposed he'd been a little negligent in his sexual advances toward her. He'd actually turned her down last month, much to the surprise of both of them. It had been about two weeks since he'd made love to her, and now, she thought it was because she wasn't enough.

Jacob unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned between the front seats to turn up the radio a little. Renesmee giggled when he slid up next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He lowered his voice so that it was little more than a brushing of air against her sensitive ears, and cupped his hands around his mouth. "I know my brain's been a mess for a few months, and I'm not doing a very good job with this lover thing. You're the most beautiful woman I know, and I love you so much. I love your body, and I love sex with you. It's like standing on top of a mountain and breathing in that really fresh air, combined with bungee jumping down over the abyss below." She smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "When you compare the two, the rush from cliff jumping is nothing compared with the feeling of being inside you." Quil was singing along with the radio now, very studiously trying not to listen, and doing a wonderful job. Jacob brushed his lips across the outside of her ear and let his free hand wander to her thigh, gently rubbing the soft flesh there. "But who's to say I can't have both in the same day?"

"Who says you're going to get both?" She smirked, but her cheeks were still flaming, even more than before. Her voice was louder than his, and it dripped with lust.

"Ew." Quil shook his head. "I have no idea what he said, but I know what that implies, and I only ask that you don't do it in my car."

The rest of the drive passed quietly again, and Jacob could feel her tensing as they walked up to the edge of the cliff, where the rest of his friends were gathered. It was clear that Embry and Jared had already jumped once, and they were fine. Jacob tried to get this across to Renesmee, and she nodded, swallowing, but he suspected she still didn't like it.

"If you don't want me to go, just say so," he finally said, tired of beating around the bush. On his left side, he noticed Rachel watching them.

Instead of giving him a straight answer, she just shrugged like the girl she was. Rachel got up and walked over to them and grabbed Nessie by the hand. "Come on, girl," she said, grinning. "I know how you feel. The first time I watched Paul jump I thought I was going to throw up. I'll hold your hand, as long as you don't break my fingers."

Renesmee smiled weakly and twined her fingers with Rachel's, leaning her head on Rachel's shoulder. Rachel smiled happily and started to lead her away.

Jacob couldn't help himself. He reached out and wrapped his arms around both of them. He felt a sudden rush of love for his big sister, and he half expected her to laugh at him. She just hugged him back.

"Thank you, Rachel." His voice was serious. "Love you."

"Love you, too, baby brother." She grinned when he pulled away. "Now go jump off a cliff."

Renesmee forced a smile for him and gave him a quick kiss.

The afternoon progressed with the girls sitting down and watching as the boys took turns throwing themselves off the cliff. Renesmee started to take it easy, but Jacob had a suspicion that the glass of wine in her hand had something to do with that. By sundown, she was a little tipsy, giggling when he tried to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"You're all wet," she squealed, trying to keep his arms away from her.

"I don't care," he mumbled, picking her up and putting her in his lap. He nuzzled his nose against her soft cheek. "I haven't seen you in three days. I missed you."

"Oh, God," she said, rolling her eyes, "three whole days." She squirmed in his lap. "You've got me all wet now." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, his eyebrows raised. Her cheeks turned bright red and she burst into giggles.

"That's kind of the idea," he mumbled, pulling her closer. Food was still being passed around, and no one was paying much attention to them, other than to pass the plate of hot dogs in their direction. Renesmee picked up three and put two on her plate, before slowly putting the third one in her mouth. Her brown eyes sparkled mischievously, and he gulped, unable to stop himself from the cliche of imagining his girlfriend with his dick her her hot little mouth. There was very little that could match up to the image of her, red hair bobbing up and down while she worked on him. She knew it, too. The first time she'd ever given him head, she'd stared up at him while she'd rubbed her own pussy, and the image always stuck with him. And, it had turned out, she actually liked sucking him off. Amazing woman.

He couldn't even think about food anymore. He shifted under her, letting her feel his erection, and she grinned at him. "Anyway," she said, "it's your own fault you haven't seen me. If you had been willing to take my directions, we would have been out of Seattle in half the time."

Jacob wrapped his arms tighter around her. "It was not my fault. You just had to make that last stop, and you made me get stuck in traffic."

"We got stuck in traffic because you weren't listening to me." She rolled her eyes. "But you still went cliff diving, even though it made me nervous."

"I assumed," he said, rolling his eyes back, "that you would understand I've done it a million times."

The sunset made her hair light up when she pulled away, blinking at him. She looked a little peeved, and quite a bit like she was up to something.

"The bikini," she said, referring to the final purchase she'd made three days ago, "was not for me, by the way." She smirked and slowly shimmied out of her shorts. His eyes bugged out of his head. "It was for you."

Oh, sweet Jesus, she had the thing on. Rachel whistled while the guys cheered her on jokingly.

"You've been so down lately, I thought you could use some cheering up." She looked entirely innocent while she pulled off her shirt, revealing the bikini she'd purchased three days ago. It wasn't that it was tiny, because it wasn't, really. It certainly covered everything, and was fairly modest as far as bikinis went. But it was white.

And something about seeing a woman who drank his blood during sex wear white was extremely sexy.

"And I assumed," she said, taking a few steps back, "you'd understand the feeling in the pit of your stomach when your loved one is in danger, however irrelevant." She grinned devilishly at him and turned around to walk to the cliff edge.

His heart nearly stopped when she peered over the edge, and he was on his feet and behind her, grabbing her around the waist. She laughed delightedly. "Oh, good," she said, patting his hand. "I was hoping you'd come to my rescue."

He wasn't counting on the fact that she had a lot of strength to use against him, should she so choose, and like it so often did when he had this lack of consideration, it bit him in the ass. She gave his arms a slight tug, bracing one foot and prepping the other for the jump. He barely had time to register what was happening before they went tumbling over the edge. He held tighter to her, feeling the wind rush in his face and hearing her delighted laughter in his ears. They hit the water together, and he clung to her while he kicked them up toward the surface.

She was still laughing. Cheers were erupting from above, and it made her laugh harder. She waved, before grinning at him and swimming off for shore.

"Get back here, damn it," he shouted, swimming after her and laughing. "You think you can just walk away from that, you've got another thing coming."

"We're not walking," she called back, still laughing. It didn't slow her stride, unfortunately for him. "We're swimming."

"Jesus, woman!" They were getting close to the shore. It was deserted now, in the late hour, and she raced toward it at full speed. He had a hard time not admiring her rounded ass as she ran as fast as she could toward the beach.

Standing up was her downfall, and he kept swimming until he caught her around the waist, dragging her back into the waves, which felt nice against his heated skin. "Get back here," he growled, and she shrieked with laughter. He waded back out a bit until he was up to his waist. She grinned at him when he hoisted her lightly, wrapping her legs around his middle.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked, grinning.

"Get a room!" Embry's voice carried down from above, and Jacob scowled.

"I was going to see if you wanted to go for a swim with me," Jacob said, frowning, "but now he's ruined that."

"Actually," she said, letting her fingers toy with the hairs on his chest, "I was kind of hoping to go back to Quil and Embry's and take a shower." She smiled. "I smell like bonfire smoke, wine, and salt water. I kind of want to smell normal." In their intimate position, it was easy for her to lean forward and whisper in his ear, like he had to her earlier. "And you did promise to be inside me sometime today, after all. Plus, I have to be home in two hours."

Jacob glanced up, and seeing no one at the cliff's edge, he slid his finger under the bottom of her bikini. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and stared up at him, eyes wide, as he brushed his fingers against her. She was already aroused; it was easy to slide one finger into her. A soft sigh of pleasure fell from her lips and she turned her head to the side to press her lips against his temple.

"I meant to tell you," he said, grinning, as he curled the single finger inside her. "Your dad said you could stay out until midnight."

"Oh, good," she crooned in his ear. "More time for you to fulfill your promise."

He fulfilled his promise, alright.

Quil's house was only five minutes walk from the beach, and he carried her the whole way. There was no traffic and no one to see them when he unlocked the front door and carried her inside, his lips caressing the soft flesh of her neck. She was gasping and moaning as he flicked his tongue out from time to time to taste the flesh there.

"Oh, God," she moaned when he kicked the door to the bedroom open and tossed her on the bed, suckling on her neck. "Mmmm."

"Like that, baby?" he whispered.

She nodded, eyes fluttering closed when he moved his lips to the soft swell of her breast. He reached behind her to untie her bikini, and she giggled when he had to fumble with the top tie, which was hidden under her hair. He finally had her topless, and the bottoms soon followed. He'd only been wearing board shorts when she'd dragged him in, and he disposed of them quickly before kneeling on the bed.

There was a wide, relaxed smile as she lay on the bed, her legs spread wide, body on display like some delicious all-you-could-eat buffet of woman.

He happened to think that, last time he'd been in here, he'd left the window open because it was supposed to be nice. Anyone might be able to hear them, and his distractible mind wandered to this dilemma at once.

"I should close the window," he whispered, starting to shift.

"Leave it open," she blurted, and despite the exposed position of her body, _this_ made her blush. The blush spread to the tips of her breasts, and he felt himself harden even more. She got to her knees so that they were more or less face to face. She trailed her fingers down his chest, licking her lips when her eyes fell on his erection. "Let them hear." She reached down boldy, taking him into her hand. His head fell forward and a long moan escaped his lips. When she looked up into his face again, his eyes had darkened considerably with lust, and he pressed his lips to hers, grinning when she squealed with shock as he tackled her backward onto the pillows. Her squeals turned to long moans when he thrust up into her with no warning, grunting at the sensation. He wasted no time in thrusting into her again and again, his ears filled with the sounds of her pleasure.

"Oh, fuck!" she screamed when he reared up on his knees, pulling her up onto him again and again. "Yes! Oh, there… Please, there…" Her voice trailed off into a long moan of pleasure. He watched her mouth hanging open, basking in the obvious pleasure she took from his touch. He knew how to please his woman, knew what she needed at all times. Her head was thrown back against the pillows and her back was arched, thrusting her breasts in the air. And while that was sexy…

He pulled out, and she actually growled at him. He just chuckled and rolled her so she was on her front. Understanding, she got up on her hands and knees and grinned at him over her shoulder when he crawled up behind her, pushing her knees a big farther apart. Her eyes rolled back in her head when he reentered her, this time going a little deeper. He filled every crevice he could inside her, and it felt amazing. He was so deep now he could feel himself brush against her cervix.

"Oh, fuck," she groaned, the words low and throaty. "Ah." He pulled back and thrust slowly back into her. Her back arched and she pushed her butt back against him when he ran one of his hands down her spine. "Oh!" She looked over her shoulder at him again, and their eyes locked. Hers were almost hazy with pleasure, and he was sure his looked similar. With his eyes looking straight into hers, he swiveled his hips when he pushed back inside her again. She bit her lip, and he could see the effort it was taking for her to keep her eyes open. When he did it again, she caved, eyes closing and head falling back again. Again and again he went until her elbows gave out and her front half collapsed onto the bed. He held her hips up, keeping up his movements until she was screaming his name.

He still wasn't entirely used to the fact that she was his now, completely. She'd given herself to him, and he was the only one who would ever be able to take what she gave. And in the same way that she was his, she also owned him entirely.

The sex was pretty good, too. The unleashed virgin in him couldn't get enough. It would happily fuck her brains out from dawn to dawn, if it weren't for her parents, and their mutual need for sleep. Watching the movements of her body while he was inside her, giving her pleasure, and hearing her sounds were things he would never get enough of.

"Oh, God!" Her face was turned to the side now, and there was nothing to muffle her. "Fuck! Jacob!" She was so loud he was a little concerned the neighbors might call the cops. Whatever. Charlie knew better than to show up here. She could scream as loud as she wanted, loud enough for the whole town to hear, and he really wouldn't care. He was, after all, the one making her scream. She was coming again, and he strained again not to finish, but it was hard.

He swung one of her legs over her head, somehow managing to stay inside her as he flipped her onto her back again. In instant later, he was on his knees again, this time, with her straddling his lap. Her eyes were wide with the shock of the sudden change of positions, but she caught up with him instantly, working with his thrusts as she rode him. His arms were fully supporting her, and her hands moved, seemingly of their own accord, to toy with her own breasts. He watched her bringing herself pleasure, leaning back just enough to get a better look at her. Her whole body was flushed pink now, sweat beading on her brow. Her mouth hung open, releasing moans and groans of pleasure while her eyes were glued on the place where they were joined.

Every muscle in his body tensed. He was too close to stop himself, and he moved them again so that she was on her back, her knees spread wide while he hammered her. "Come on, baby," he growled. Holding onto her hip with one hand, he snaked the other under them to pinch her clit. "Come for me."

Her muscles, wet and tight, massaged him wildly when she released, and he came, buried deep inside her.

When he came to, he had somehow rolled them so he was lying behind her, still encased in her juicy warmth. He nuzzled her shoulder, humming when she nestled up a little closer to him.

"I like cliff diving," she said suddenly. "Let's do it again."

"Hell no." He reached forward to stroke the soft skin just below her breast. "You just about gave me a heart attack."

"Likewise," she said, rolling her eyes over her shoulder at him. "Now you know how I felt all day."

"I'm sorry." He kissed the outside of her ear, and she giggled, the sound vibrating up his body, still wrapped in hers. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes." She smiled back at him. "Just don't make me watch it ever again. And I don't want to hear about it, either. It makes me feel uneasy."

"I don't know about you," he mumbled, pulling her a little closer and wiggling his hips against her butt, "but this feels pretty fucking great." The sound of her laughter made him feel warm all over, and he wanted her again, but now she really did need a shower. He pulled out of her, reluctantly. She suddenly turned bright red, and he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I made a mess," she whispered, looking a little embarrassed. Jacob turned his eyes to the sheets. Sure enough, he could see the spot where their combined fluids had escaped, too much for her body to hold in. It looked like more than usual. He looked at it curiously. "I think I…" She trailed off, and then shrugged. "You know."

It was kind of like what would have happened if she'd covered her pussy in whipped cream. She shrieked with laughter when he dove between her legs to lick her clean, his tongue darting in and around to get every drop of sweetness. He would have just cleaned her up, but the moisture kept coming. Soon, she was whimpering and grabbing at his hair while his hands snuck up under her butt to grab the flesh there. When she came, she said his name again, but more tenderly this time. When she was done, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" she laughed, beating weakly against his back.

"You needed a shower," he said, turning on the tap. "I'm going to make that happen for you."

"Oh, how sweet," she said, grinning at him and rolling her eyes. "You sure it's not another excuse to see me naked?"

"Do I need an excuse to see you naked?" he asked honestly as he turned the water from the faucet to the shower. "Can't I just stare at your ass because I want to?"

A giggle escaped her lips, and he stepped into the large shower, setting her back on her feet under the spray. She didn't seem quite ready to let go of him just yet, however, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning up to kiss him. "I guess so," she said, and then, to his shock, she turned around, bent slightly, and wiggled her butt at him. "Stare away, baby."

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Two weeks without sex made her insatiable, so she begged for his attention again in the shower, displaying her body to him. She gave him a show, bending over, using the wall for support while she spread her legs and showed him her bits.

He seemed to appreciate it, dragging his full lips up and down her overheated body, making her shake when he pulled a nipple between his lips and cry out when he bit down softly. He pinned her against the tile and lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and thrusting up into her, grunting into her shoulder as she gasped. When he came, her eyes rolled back into her head as she felt his warmth flood her, and she released around him again.

They'd cleaned each other up, laughing, him catching her when she started to slip. He'd soaped her entire body, head to toe and all the crevices in between, before rinsing her off and setting her on the little bench. There, he'd knelt between her legs again, giving her one last release before licking her clean again. She blushed scarlet when, staring intensely into her eyes, he raised his fingers to his lips and licked them clean of her arousal. When he pressed his lips to hers, she could taste herself mixed with his musky, delicious flavor, and it was kind of sexy.

Having left her clothes at the top of the cliff, Renesmee stole Jacob's shorts and pulled them on, grinning.

"They're the only thing you have that's drawstring," she said, shrugging. There was no way he was getting them back. Or, she decided, the black t-shirt that she was pulling on over her head now. That would now be hers, too. Something to bury her face in when she was alone at night and her own fingers were her only company.

"I kind of hope your parents are gone when you get back," he said, rolling his eyes. "Your dad'll have a fit if he sees you in that."

"He can get over it." Renesmee waved a hand dismissively as she started to walk past him. "Walk me down?"

"Drive you home," he said, grinning as he took her keys from her hand. "You've had a few drinks."

"You just want an excuse to drive my mom's car."

"Guilty." He laughed, and dodged the swipe she took at him. In retaliation, she jumped on his back, wrapping her arms and legs tightly around him.

"Come on, kid," he said, reaching back to pat her ass. "Let's get you home."

To her delight, her parents weren't home when they pulled up. Pulling out her phone, Renesmee touched the screen to bring it to life for the first time all night. There was a text from her mother, saying they'd be back around one.

"Come inside." She leaned against his side. "They're not going to be home for a while."

"What time is it now?"

"Eleven thirty." She rolled her eyes. "Lovely. Even made it back for my dad's curfew."

Jacob laughed, and she smiled, pleased. His moods were so low lately, it was nice to see him smiling. "That means I have an extra thirty minutes with you," he said, grinning.

"Come on," she laughed, and she climbed out of the little car and darted inside. He was right behind her, following her back to her bedroom.

Right now, more than anything, she just wanted to be close to him. He lay next to her, arm wrapped around her body, holding her to his chest. She rested her cheek in the nook of his arm, burrowing into his side as much as she could. She understood now why he freaked out when she did anything that could be considered dangerous to a human. Because as strong and powerful as they both were, they were still part human. What if that part somehow won out? What would she do without him?

They lay there for a long time, talking about the events of the past few days. They'd both been bored and miserable, it turned out, going about their usual activities in a funk.

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Working." She felt him shrug a little. "The usual. You have class?"

"Yep." She grinned. "I can't wait until I'm done and I can start working."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

Despite herself, Renesmee could not stop the smile from widening. "Apparently, I'm going at an accelerated rate, so I don't know, but not long."

"Cool." Jacob closed his eyes, and she sighed softly. There would be no more love making tonight, she concluded, as his breathing became heavy and he started snoring. She blinked, realizing he'd fallen asleep in under thirty seconds.

Then she recalled his conversation with her father this morning.

_Halfway through breakfast, Renesmee was about to call foul on her parents. Her mother was cleaning up from breakfast, and her father was darting around after her, whispering things Renesmee thankfully couldn't hear to Bella. She rolled her eyes. The rest of the family may give them shit for being too tame or too quiet, but Renesmee knew better. None of them had ever had to live with this pair, she thought, rolling her eyes and taking another bite of her omelet._

_Her father's phone rang suddenly, and he finally took his hands off of his wife's hips to answer it. He frowned at the screen, and his expression made his mother frown, as well. This, she decided, was kind of cute. When one smiled, the other one did. And when one of them was frowning, the other usually was, as well._

_"Hello, Jacob," he said, leaning back against the counter and glancing across to the counter, where Renesmee stared at him in confusion. Why was Jacob calling her father?_

_She could hear his voice clear as day from across the room. It was desperate, pleading. "I'm losing my mind." She could almost see him with his shaggy head hanging down. "Please, let her come out today? The guys are all going cliff diving and we're going to eat afterward." It was all rushed. "Please, just for a couple of hours? I promise I'll have her home by ten."_

_Abandon omelet. Jacob was _much_ more important than food. He sounded upset. She darted to stand in front of her father, making her doe eyes big and sad. "Please, daddy?" She let her lower lip jut out, just a bit, mimicking the little pout he sometimes made at his wife. "I promise I'll be back on time, I _swear_." Like she'd make _that_ stupid mistake again. "I can't stand being in this house for another minute! I'm getting cabin fever!" _And,_ she thought, _I'm getting really tired of watching you and mom act like I can't see you. Seriously. Take the alone time.

_Jacob's voice, the most central sound in her world, interrupted her thoughts. He actually laughed, a truly rare sound these days. Her father frowned at this thought. "Can you honestly," Jacob chuckled, "say no to the face she's making right now?"_

_Renesmee rolled her eyes when Edward reached around his wife to open the curtains a little and peer out into the woods behind their little house. "How do you know she's making a face?"_

_"Because I know the tone of voice," he laughed, "and it _always_ comes with the same face."_

_Quil's voice was clear, like it always was, when it cut in suddenly,__ even though it sounded like he was a few feet from Jacob_. "You know there's a perfectly good bed upstairs, right?"

_"I know." Jacob's voice was suddenly devoid of laughter. _

_Her father frowned. __"Are you sleeping on the couch?" _

_Jacob sighed, and the sound made her heart ache. "I'm not sleeping much, period. That's the problem."_

_"Ah." A frown crossed Renesmee's face, and her father smiled, reaching out to try to tug the corners of her mouth up in a smile. She rolled her eyes, but gave him a little smile all the same. He just had to let her go. Jacob was depressed. "Well," he continued, sounding, for a change, like he was actually concerned, "that's understandable. You know Esme would love it if you'd let her renovate over there. Maybe..." His voice trailed off, and he sighed softly, reaching out to wrap an arm around his only daughter's waist and patting her back. She knew they would never admit it out loud, at least not in the near future, but her father and boyfriend really did respect each other, and as intertwined as their lives were, it was hard not to be concerned about Jake's current situation. Jacob's upset made her upset, and that clearly upset Edward._

_Because for all his faults, he really did care._

_"Yeah, maybe." Jacob's voice was heavy. "I'll probably talk to her."_

_Her brain was telling her to go, and she realized her father had never actually answered to Jacob's request. "Daddy!" She stomped her foot to get his attention, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Can I go or not?"_

_He shook his head and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Fine, but you can't— "_

_"Oh, come on!" _I need to get there fast,_ she begged. "You never let me take the good cars. It won't look weird if I show up with mom's car when I'm hanging out with three mechanics." She propped her chin on his chest, staring up at him with her best baby girl pout._

_"Fine."_

_She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and darted out the door, snatching her mother's keys and landing in the driver's seat of her car in under ten seconds. She had to go..._

_Go, go, go._

_She needed him._

Sighing softly, Renesmee climbed out of Jacob's arms and covered him up with a blanket. He snorted in his sleep a little, but stayed asleep. Carefully, she crept from the room, easing the door shut. She turned quickly and nearly jumped when she found herself face to face with her father, who was wearing a slightly exasperated expression.

Well, exasperated was better than angry. She could work with exasperated.

"Just please, let him sleep?" she begged. "He just fell asleep, and I want him to get some rest. He's so tired, daddy."

Edward sighed heavily and threw his hands up over his head, continuing down the hall to his room. He said nothing as he made his way inside. A second later, her mother darted down the hall, pausing at the door to give Renesmee a little smile.

"Just sleep on the couch, honey," she requested. "No reason to push your dad over the edge, right?"

Renesmee just rolled her eyes and made her way to the living room.

_a/n The only reason "Firsts" has been able to keep going is due to requests from readers like you. So suggest one. I have some, but you guys often manage to pull something out of the air I haven't thought of yet. Great minds, baby._ _Leave me some love!_


	22. Sex

_a/n You've asked for it. You've even begged a little. In any case, Osama bin Laden is dead and we're going to celebrate it the only way I really care to. No, not with cake. Cake's good, but no. With..._

_**SEX**_

The scents of breakfast and cookies filled his nose, and Jacob Black snorted to life. Waking suddenly from a deep sleep, he yawned and stared up at the little cottage in the woods. He blinked a few times before his eyes located her. He could see her through the kitchen window, standing at the sink with her wild hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head_. _Her eyes were downcast, and he could see slight movement in her shoulders.

She was doing dishes.

His next yawn was bigger, and it caught her ears. She looked up, and her angelic face broke into a grin of childish delight. She darted out the back door and pounced on him. In response, he yawned again and rolled onto his back. She laughed.

"Merry Christmas, Jacob," she said, and her brown eyes sparkled. He stretched, content, while she rubbed his belly. "Dad is with Grandpa and my mom's making you breakfast."

Jacob rolled his head off to the side, blinking sleepily again. He couldn't see Bella or Edward, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

Carefully, with more focus than any of the rest of the wolves had ever even dreamed of managing, Jacob slowly shifted back to human. None of the rest of the pack could actually slow down the shift, but he'd mastered it to the point where Renesmee could be holding on to him and be perfectly fine the entire time. It helped that her skin was as impenetrable as her parents, too.

He found himself still on his back, naked, in his friend's back yard, with the most beautiful woman in the world lying on top of him. Her smile had turned mischievous. Her curved lips leaned down to press to his, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. Her warm body nestled into his like the neighboring piece of a puzzle, perfectly clicking like always. Her little tongue, warm and wet, gently brushed along the bottom ridge of his lower lip, and he opened for her. It made its way into his mouth, gently caressing his and tasting every crevice she could find. It wasn't chaste, and his body immediately reacted like any man's body would in the morning. Somehow, they got to their feet and climbed in her bedroom window. His hands immediately pushed her back into the bed, and she gasped softly before she giggled and batted at him.

Her warm hands caressed his face, gently shoving back his hair and showing him a picture of her mother, standing in the kitchen and putting Christmas cookies on a rack.

He smiled at the picture, like something she would have shown him as a child, when she was still learning the words-when she was young. Despite the ability to more or less communicate in one way telepathy, she still liked to show him pictures.

"Let me go finish the dishes," she whispered. "I'll be right back."

When she was gone, he got up and headed for her closet. In the back, completely hidden by a row of party dresses, was a low, two drawer dresser she'd installed about a month ago. From what they could tell, her parents either had no idea or remained blissfully ignorant, pretending not to notice that their daughter had stocked a dresser with her boyfriend's clothes. And not clothes like a girlfriend would steal. Those clothes—a couple pairs of his boxers, an old t-shirt, his best black dress shirt, and a few others he probably didn't realize were gone—were stashed in her own dresser, for her own use.

These were what she jokingly called his getaway clothes.

He pulled on a pair of dark jeans, trying not to think about the fact that they had a designer label on them. It really wasn't her fault. She'd always been taught to shop with no fear of price, and she'd only recently discovered the sundresses and hippie skirts that some of the girls on the reservation wore. She couldn't help it. Still, though, she always managed to pick out clothes he would actually choose for himself. Relatively simple, if a little nicer than usual. He yanked a wife beater over his head before pulling on a soft black polo. She'd even put in socks, and he pulled on a pair before padding back to lay down on her bed. He must have dozed off again—easy to do at ten before three in the morning—because when he came to, she was lying on him again, but this time, she was down a little lower.

He shuddered when her hands caressed his balls—where the fuck his pants had gone, he had no idea—and another image flowed into his mind.

Bella, ignoring them like always, wrapping presents and listening to Joan Jett on her iPod. She had it up so loud, Jacob could actually hear it from the bedroom.

He refocused his attention on her, immediately resting his hands on the back of her head and letting his head fall back onto the pillow while the sensations of her mouth on him overtook his senses. She'd refined her skills even more, working her whole mouth and ten stroking fingers on him, and as early in the morning as it was, it didn't take him long to come, spilling into her mouth in quick spurts and gasping for air. He was still gasping when he looked down at her, mouth still on him, licking up the last remnants of his release. He stroked her throat gently, moaning. "Fuck, baby," he whispered. "So good."

She smiled coyly up at him and released him from her mouth with a pop. She licked her lips, a glint in her eyes. "Good morning, baby."

"Good morning to you, too," he laughed. "Jesus." He brushed his lips against her ear when she shimmied up to rest on top of him again. "Do I get to reciprocate?"

"You would," she said, smiling, "but your breakfast will get cold and mom said she'd be back to check on me in fifteen minutes."

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes. "But later."

"Later." Her eyes sparkled and she bounced back off the bed. "I need to shower. See you downstairs?"

She was gone, then, and he was left standing in her bedroom with the knowledge that she would soon be naked and dripping wet.

He wanted her. After locating his jeans, he stepped out into the hall, hands jammed deep into his pockets, and meandered down to the kitchen. After two weeks of "practice," he kind of felt like his balls were about to explode. He'd made her make sounds she'd never made before, say things she'd probably never say in polite company, and he'd made her come more times than he could count. His brain, his heart, and his balls were all in this together now. He _wanted_ her.

If it weren't for the fact that Bella was in the living room, he may have gone into the bathroom and taken her there and then, but he controlled himself. She needed romance.

He glanced at the clock. It was five in the morning when he rounded into the kitchen. Fifteen hours...

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Christmas at the Cullen house was a huge affair, like always. Emmett and Rosalie came home from another of their many road trips to celebrate, and they opened presents early. Renesmee received several new books from her mother, a diamond tennis bracelet from her father, a new Coach purse and more clothes than she'd ever buy for herself from Alice and Rosalie, and her uncles gifted her a new, top of the line paint ball gun to further advance her career as a Cullen family prankster.

Jacob kept telling her that he wanted to give her his gift later.

Then, he had to go home. Billy was having a rough day, and Carlisle and Jacob headed over around noon.

"I'll call you later," he'd said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head and leaving her with her family.

Later ended up being about seven thirty. She'd been sitting next to her phone, trying to focus on the television and not the lovey-dovey behavior of her parents, who were cuddled up in the overstuffed arm chair in front of the fire. She was just about to call him herself when the phone rang.

"Hey," she said, smiling and ejecting herself from the couch so she could go back to her room. Privacy wasn't possible, but she was sure she was easier to ignore when she was in another room.

"Hey." He sounded tired. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Renesmee closed the door behind her. "How's your dad?"

"He's sleeping." Jacob's voice was a little muffled, as if he wasn't holding the phone to his mouth. "Can you come over?"

"I'll ask." She rolled her eyes. "They're making goo-goo eyes at each other, so I'm sure they won't make a big fuss." With raised eyebrows, she made her way back out to the living room.

Her parents were making out in the chair now, and she cleared her throat. She was sure if her mom could, she'd blush. "Can I please go to Jake's?"

"Yes." Her mother answered quickly, and Edward frowned.

"How late are you going to be?" His voice was a little disapproving. "It's Christmas. You should be with your family."

"I will be," she said, rolling her eyes. "You two aren't going to be much company, anyway." Her eyebrows raised a little more. "And since it's Christmas, can't one of my presents be that I don't have to listen to you guys?"

Her father made a face at her, and she giggled.

"I'll be home by midnight."

"No curfew," Bella said suddenly. She nudged her husband when his frown deepened. "It's Christmas."

"Exactly."

"I have another present for you," Bella said, and she giggled and buried her face in his shoulder.

"No curfew," her father confirmed, and he picked up his squealing wife and vanished down the hall. The bedroom door slammed behind them and she could hear Bella's shrieks of laughter.

"I'm coming," Rensemee said, grabbing her father's keys. "As fast as I can."

"Ew." Jacob sounded as grossed out as she felt. "She's like my sister. I don't need to hear that."

"I get to live with them." In the blink of an eye, Renesmee was in Edward's car and behind the wheel. She turned the key in the ignition while she shifted the seat forward, rolling her eyes at the slow pace at which the seat moved. Why had she not inherited more of his height? Of all things, she mused, pulling on her seatbelt, to inherit from her father, she'd been blessed with his mother's curves.

There was finally a hint of amusement in Jacob's voice. "And I sympathize with you. I got you out of the house, didn't I?" He laughed. "Merry Christmas."

"So how did it go with Carlisle today?" Renesmee turned out onto the highway, heading for La Push, putting her foot to the floor. The only cop working tonight was Charlie, and he wouldn't pull her over. She'd blazed by him a week ago when he'd been camped out at the edge of town with his radar gun, and he'd just rolled his eyes and literally looked the other way. As a thank you, she'd turned tail and returned to Seattle to cash out a bit more stock and buy him a fucking boat as a thank you. He'd promised never to pull her over, so only when the speedometer hit one hundred did she level her speed, dragging down the straightaway as fast as she could.

Her father was proud of her for managing to bribe the Chief of Police.

Jacob sighed heavily. "Not good. The treatments aren't working as well as he wants them to. He's afraid if Billy gets any worse he'll have to hook him up to IVs or admit him."

"I'm sorry, baby," she murmured, and Jacob made a low hum. "What's that?"

"I like it when you call me pet names, sugar pie."

"Oh, do you now, handsome?"

"Stop it," he said, using the gay man impression that drove her nuts. "You're making me blush."

She pulled into his driveway a few minutes later, and when he didn't come out to meet her, she was a little suspicious. There was a note on the door to let herself in, and she opened the door and stepped inside. Taped to the doorway to the living room was another note.

_Come to the bedroom._

She blinked, then headed slowly down the hall, grinning. She could see a soft glow coming from under his bedroom door, and she smiled at the note that greeted her there. _Close your eyes and knock. _When her eyes were closed, she raised a hand to the pine door and knocked softly twice.

"Okay, you can't look," he said, and his big hands covered her eyes. "I didn't wrap it, because Alice told me I couldn't." He maneuvered her to stand in what she supposed was the middle of his room. "Keep your eyes closed._" _His big hands lifted, and she could see candles flickering behind her closed eyelids. He shifted around a little, and she could hear him on the bed. "Okay. Open them."

The first thing she saw was his face. He looked like a little boy who couldn't wait to give his crush a slimy toad he'd captured for her. Looking down, though, she saw that instead of a toad...

Her breath left her in a rush. "Oh, my God, Jake."

"Do you like it?" He sounded hopeful. "I thought you would, and your mom agreed with me."

"It's so pretty." Renesmee let her fingers trace over the diamonds and sapphires set into the silver necklace. "I love it."

"I thought you would," he said, and his big fingers somehow managed the maneuver the delicate necklace out of the box. "I just wanted to be sure. Lift your hair?"

She reached back to pull her curly mess out of the way, and he clasped the little necklace on and leaned back on his heals on the bed.

"How does it look?"

His eyes were dark, and she smiled internally. She was very appropriately dressed to spend time with her family. She was wearing dark jeans that he'd complimented for showing off her butt once, and a rather tight fitting, white v-neck sweater with a camisole underneath. He _would_ go nuts over this look. She wasn't trying at all.

His hands reached for hers, and he was pulling her forward, toward his bed, which was made for a change. And there were candles everywhere. His lips traced her neck when she knelt on the bed in front of him, and she giggled a little.

"What are you up to?" she asked suspiciously.

He didn't answer. His only response was to continue to kiss her neck, and she felt herself starting to melt a little, forgetting that she'd ever asked him a question to begin with. She wrapped her fingers through his hair, which was grown out a little shaggier at the moment and at the perfect tugging length. Her mouth fell open when his lips trailed down to kiss along the edge of where her new necklace met her skin. His breath scorched her already heated skin as he nuzzled against her exposed cleavage, and she gasped to catch her breath. When a moan unexpectedly burst from her lips, her head snapped to the door.

Billy was asleep across the hall.

"He could sleep through a train passing outside his window," Jacob muttered, his voice muffled by her skin. The vibrations from the low tone of his voice shot through her, and she shuddered a little. She felt his lips curve up in a little smile. "Just maybe try to keep it down a little."

"I will," she whispered, feeling her body quivering with anticipation when his hands slowly made their way down her sides, finally coming to land on the button of her jeans. He undid it fairly easily, unzipped her, and together, they kicked her jeans off in the general direction of... Well, where her jeans landed wasn't really that important. His hands covered her whole back when the slid under the camisole, and in one swift motion, her shirt was gone, as well.

His eyes were glazed over a little, and she was a little amused. She hadn't dressed for this today, and he'd left her in a white bra and pant set. The irony wasn't lost on her, and she could feel herself blushing. He'd told her before that she looked nice dolled up, but that there was something to be said for simplicity. He would go nuts over a boring set of underwear.

For the first time, she noticed that he was still wearing a set of black pants and button up Prada she'd given him to wear today. He looked so sexy, but...

"You're kind of overdressed," she mused, playing with the buttons of the shirt and undoing them one by one. He didn't wear a shirt underneath—he really didn't need to. Her fingers trailed over the bare skin of his abdomen, tracing the muscles she found there. It still amazed her that she had ever been able to miss how attractive he was. His russet skin was taut over the muscles that rippled in his arms, chest, legs, and even his ass, which she had found out was as sculpted as the rest of him, but it was so very soft and warm. His dark eyes closed when her lips pressed gently against his chest, and she let her hands wander the same path his had, if not a little more direct.

His slacks were much looser than his usual jeans, and they did little to restrain his erection. Instead of just removing his pants, as he had done with her, she took his boxers with them. Jacob, it turned out, had very little problem being naked in front of people. He was more used to it than her, and, as he'd pointed out, she clearly liked it, so he took pride in it. He resumed his kneeling position in front of her again, and his head fell back when she wrapped her hands around his erection. She stared down at it, watching as it grew a little stiffer.

He was so beautiful. And when his head dipped forward to watch the movements of her hand, she smiled a little. He was such a man. It was one of the many parts of his beautiful soul that she loved so dearly.

Warm hands caressed her arms, reaching down to take her hands. Glancing up, she saw that Jacob was watching her now, staring at her with dilated pupils. The candle light danced across his face, and she blinked, momentarily distracted by the way it lit his eyes.

By how much she wanted him.

His arms surrounded her and he lifted her slightly, only to lay her down on the bed on her back. He sat back on his heals, and she watched his face as he stared at her. There was lust and nerves and so much love it made her heart ache a little. She bit down on her lip, staring back and trying to think of a way to get him to understand.

"Come here," she whispered, holding out her hands. She giggled when he shifted so his chin was propped up on her chest. It put his eyes at the perfect contact level, and she stared into him for a moment before she took a deep breath and pressed her hands to his face.

She needed to make him understand.

His eyes glazed over a little while he absorbed her feelings and thoughts. After a minute, she pulled her hands away and his eyes focused again on her face and he blinked. "Geeze, kid," he said, and his voice was serious. "You make it sound like I don't understand." His hands lifted to caress her cheeks, and a little smile crossed his face. "You know you talk in your sleep, right?"

Renesmee felt a blush cross her cheeks. She'd napped around him plenty of times, and he had always teased her for her mumblings. "Yes," she said. "So, what?"

"You were sleeping the other day." His smile was tender. "You said you loved me."

"You know I do." Now she was confused.

Jacob looked a little sheepish. "Well, you said it in this really sexy voice, and it made me curious. I wanted to know what you were dreaming about, so I peaked."

One of her eyebrows cocked of its own accord. "Did you like what you saw?"

His answer was clear long before it was out of his mouth. His eyes darkened again, and he shifted again so he was hovering over her. His lips pressed against hers, hard and hungry. His tongue entered her mouth, and she groaned as he kissed her. It felt like he was trying to communicate something of his own. When he finally pulled away, gasping, he rested his forehead against hers. "I was making love to you," he rasped, and she felt her stomach flip. She remembered that dream clearly. "You felt so happy, like part of your soul had been missing and you were finally back together again. You would have been happy if I'd just held still, so long as I was inside you." His voice was rough, and she was sure her skin was purple by now. "You just wanted to be close to me. And I felt it, too."

Twice, her brown eyes blinked up at him, confused. "Felt what?"

"You were pulling me in," he said, his voice softer. "It was like I was on a rope with you reeling me in, and I realized something." His lips brushed her forehead. "You need me."

Despite their intimate position, she gave him an odd look. "Of course I do, silly." He chuckled when she rolled her eyes. "You know that."

"You've needed me emotionally your entire life, like I've needed you. But sexually, you _wanted_ me," he amended. "There's a difference. I needed you to see past sex as a relief and see it as something more. I couldn't make love to you until you needed the connection it makes."

"You talk like you know," she said, giving him another raised eyebrow.

"I've seen it through the others," he said, shaking his head. "And I've see what can happen when you misuse sex, and I didn't want to do that to you. I love you too much. And sex is different with imprints. It's more emotional and makes a lot deeper connection. I want it to be perfect for you, baby. It's what both of us deserve."

If possible, her heart swelled up even more.

Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed him to her. He grunted a little when his full weight collapsed on her, but she just held him tighter, kissing him and backing in the heat that surrounded her. He was huge, something she'd always known but never really realized until now. He covered her body completely, shoulder to toe tips, like some warm, heavy blanket. It felt amazing.

But then the blanket was gone. He was pushing himself back up again, this time moving to sit on his knees again. Both of them were gasping, and his eyes had zeroed in on her chest.

"You look so fucking sexy right now," he said, and his voice was low and raspy again. "Like some virgin goddess I'm destined to claim."

Renesmee blinked. "You sound like a video gamer."

That did it. Laughing, he tackled her and she squeaked, a little surprised. Her soft giggles quickly turned to moans, though, because he'd moved to suckle her breasts through her bra. She could feel herself getting wet, soaking through her panties, and she spread her legs wantonly for him. His hands made their way behind her back and unhooked her bra, freeing her breasts. He kept up his attentions for them for a minute before shifting to move down her body.

"Fuck, baby," he whispered, and her hips bucked when his fingers toyed with her. "Kind of wish I'd left your jeans on a little longer." His eyes bore a devilish glint when he glanced up at her, wrapping his fingers around the waistband. "Bet you would have soaked through 'em."

Jacob taking dirty was almost too much, and when he pulled down her panties and pressed a tender kiss above her opening, she fell immediately into an orgasm. It shocked her a little, and she felt her eyes widen and her mouth form into an "O" shape. His tongue darted out and he touched just the tip of it, very softly, to her clit.

When she came to again, he was hovering over her, brushing her hair back from her face. His naked body was pressed against hers, and she shuddered, knowing this time he wouldn't be trying to get one of them back into some form of clothing while she fought to keep both of them nude. This time, they weren't going to stop. He would put himself inside her, make it hard to discern where one of them started and the other stopped, and the concept more than thrilled her. It revitalized her.

"Um..." He glanced down between them, then back up, looking a little sheepish. "How do you... um..."

"What?" Giving him a quizzical look, she cocked her head a little. He looked embarrassed. "Are you okay?"

A short, nervous laugh escaped his lips. "I have no idea what I'm doing, and I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh." A blush crept down her cheeks. He was so much older than her that it was easy to forget he was as new at this as she. "I guess like this works." She wrapped his arms around his neck. "Just go slow."

"Yeah." He blinked and took a deep breath. "Slow."

He shifted a little so that he was slightly higher than eye level with her. A little nervously, Renesmee shifted her feet so that her legs were on either side of him, and he reached down between them. He positioned himself at her entrance, just the tip brushing her, and looked up from where he was about to join them. "Hey," he said softly, looking into her eyes. His were dark and warm. "I love you."

Feeling her lips curl into a smile, Renesmee wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I love you, too," she whispered. She tugged slightly on his neck. "Kiss me first?"

He kept his lips on hers for a long moment before pushing himself inside, just a little. She gasped, her eyes widening. Jacob could not possibly be average sized. He was a huge man with a huge, stretching dick, and at the moment, it was shocking to feel _just_ how big he really was.

"Breathe, baby," he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple. "Try to relax. Tell me if it hurts, and we can take a little break, okay?"

She let her breath rush out of her again and took several deep breaths. Slowly, he started his way in. Too slow.

"Jacob," she whispered, "just do it."

A moan of pleasure escaped his lips as he shoved himself fully inside her. His head fell forward and he gasped. "Oh, God," he groaned, and it sounded like he was about to cry. "You feel so good, Ness."

She was glad he wasn't looking at her face. A mixture of emotions and sensations flooded her body, and they leaked out the corners of her eyes. It didn't hurt as much as it was just stinging and uncomfortable. Her body felt stretched to its limit, and she shifted slightly under his immobile body.

The physical discomfort, though, was overshadowed by everything else. She was closer to him now than she ever had been, and the feeling was amazing. She could feel every line of him pressed against her, could feel him inside her, swelling up even more.

His head was still buried in her breast, and she twined her fingers in his hair. "Jake?" She shifted again, wincing a little. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, taking a deep breath before he looked up at her. His eyes were hooded and dark, his mouth slightly ajar. "I love you," he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Love you more." She smiled. "You can move. I think it's okay."

The first few thrusts were awkward. It was uncomfortable, and she wasn't quite sure how to move with him. It didn't take long to catch on, though.

"Wrap your legs around me, honey," he whispered, pressing his lips to her ear as he slowly thrust into her again. He helped her hike her legs around his waist, and she felt her eyes widen when he slid in a little deeper.

"Oh!"

"Are you okay?" He stopped again.

"I think so," she said slowly. "It just surprised me a little."

Jacob blinked, his eyes clearing slightly before he burst out laughing. The sensation made her clench around him, and his laughter turned to moans again when she arched her back into him. It was still a little uncomfortable, she decided, as he thrust into her again and again, starting to pick up speed, but there was more pleasure than there had been before.

She pressed her face into his neck when he bent over her again, pressing her lips to the soft skin there and feeling his blood pulsing under his skin. He shifted slightly, and she felt a different sensation, this one entirely pleasurable. A growl escaped her lips, and she blushed a little. The sound didn't seem to bother Jacob at all, and he picked up the pace again, this time hitting a new spot.

She suspected if it weren't for the lingering discomfort, she might have come by now, but the dull ache was distracting. Jacob, on the other hand, was almost there. His eyes were black again. Sweat was glistening on his brow, moistening the hair that fell in his face.

"I'm close," he grunted. "Come on, baby."

"I..." She tore her eyes from his face, a little embarrassed. "I don't think I can."

"Fuck!" She squealed again, this time with shock, when he reared back onto his knees, taking her with him. He kept up his now manic thrusting, and pressed his forehead to hers. "Come on, honey. You can."

It felt so _good_, it was frustrating. Upset, she pressed her hands to his face, showing him her dilemma.

His eyes glazed over. "You want me to distract you?" He wrapped a hand over her shoulder and yanked her down on him again. She squeaked with delight. "Come here." His hands wound into her hair, bringing her face to press against his neck again. His lips brushed her ear with soft kisses that contrasted sharply with his hard thrusts. His warm, wet tongue darted around the outer shell of her ear, and she shook with delight again. Then he whispered, very softly, "Bite me, baby."

His flesh was like butter, and she let his blood flow and fill her mouth, gulping it down and moaning. He gave a soft shudder of pained pleasure, and whispered in her ear again. "Let me fill you up, baby."

He wanted to come in her. She was so full already; filled with his flesh, drunk on the taste of him, delirious with pleasure.

But he could fill up more...

She came in his arms, shaking, when he shot into her, moaning and swearing. A long, low moan seeped from her lips as pleasure shot through every vein in her body. It felt like flying.

"I love you," she gasped, collapsing onto his chest when he fell back onto the bed again. "Holy shit, I love you."

He chuckled, running a hand up and down her back. "Love you, too."

She propped her chin on his chest and stared up at him. A huge grin stretched across his face from ear to ear. "You look happy," she stated.

He laughed again, and she felt the vibrations again from where he was still joined with her. "I am happy," he replied, brushing hair back from her face. "Are you?"

Snuggling up under his chin, she let one of her hands come up to cup his face. She showed him, to the best of her ability, the feelings of joy and content racing through her at that moment.

Happy, she showed him, was not a strong enough word.

_a/n Sorry about the delay. My boyfriend and I share one chair in our little office space, and he's been using it for finals. Trust me. I've been going bat-shit crazy. Leave me reviews! Any ideas are always welcome!_


	23. DriveIn

_a/n Hello again! Glad you liked the last one. Your reactions made me giggle a little. Summer in finally in the air, just a little, coming through on those warm spring days that make you happy. _

_Background: This is set about a year after "Home Alone," and 11 years after _Breaking Dawn_. After almost six years in Washington (most of them in Seattle), the family is on the move again. Jacob and Renesmee are about two months shy of their fourth wedding anniversary. And yes, that's coming._

_Warming: Little lemonade in this chapter, including some very dirty words spoken in a sensual fashion. Also, some heavy development stuff. Enjoy!_

_**DRIVE-IN**_

Cars had been placed in storage. Furniture had been either covered with heavy sheets, or moved into storage. Electronics were on a moving truck with books, music, and a variety of other objects. Her father's piano had stayed behind. Moving a piano, he'd reasoned, from Washington to New Jersey was just silly. It would go out of tune, could get damaged en route, or any other number of things. The new house, he declared, would get a new piano.

And for the first time, the whole lot of them would be under on huge roof, Jacob included. Esme had promised to have taken a lot of time to decide where to place them in the house. In the end, she'd decided on the lofty attic, and had sent Renesmee pictures. It was like a huge studio apartment, and she had loved it. It spanned the length of the house, and there was room for more than just bedroom furniture. They could practically live up there, and that was what made Jacob okay with it.

Esme and Carlisle were taking the expressways through the country's wide length, but Edward and Jacob had opted to take the scenic route. They cut through mountain passes on narrow highways in the only two cars that weren't getting left behind. Jacob got the chance to really test the Camaro, and to test it against Edward's Vanquish was a welcome challenge. Mother and daughter spent half the ride waving at each other and laughing manically as their husbands half drag raced and half lazed across America.

Now, somewhere in the endless field of corn that was Illinois south of Chicago, they decided to stop for the night in some Podunk town none of them had ever heard of. There was a hotel, a gas station, a restaurant, and a car wash. All they required.

Jacob was flipping channels, trying to decide what to watch, when his wife emerged from the bathroom. She wore a long dress and her hair down, damp around her shoulders. Taking a closer look, Jacob recalled that she wore no underwear with this particular dress. He'd have to find a way to use that to his advantage later, he noted. In the meantime, he restrained himself. Right now, all she'd want to do was primp herself, rubbing in lotion she didn't really _need_, but that she liked. Maybe she'd even redo her nails, and he could watch with amusement as her tongue would creep out to get caught between her lips.

"Wasn't there a drive in on the way into this town?"

Her voice broke the silence, and he stared at her, blinking. "I think so. Why?"

She picked up a slice of pizza from the box. Taking a bite, she nodded out the front. "It had a big retro sign."

"Right."

"Wanna go?"

"What's showing?"

She shrugged, taking another bite. "I don't know," she said around her food. "I just think it would be fun. I've never been to one."

Jacob blinked, thinking back. No, she never had been. It was like some rite of passage she'd missed. Maybe he could get her to have a little fun, he decided. Keep her mind off other things, like it had been for a few months now. She seemed to be starting to understand, and maybe to forgive him a little.

_Jacob hung his head in shame, not really looking at anything as he lifted his beer back to his lips. He just stared at the floor, elbows resting on his knees, waiting for the beating to begin._

"_I'm not going to beat you." Edward's voice was dry, but there was a hint of amusement. "I agree with you."_

_Blinking, Jacob turned his head to stare at his companion. For two days, Jacob had paced around the house, waiting for his wife to come home. When the door did finally open, it was her father who had entered. For the last ten minutes, neither of them spoke, until now._

"_Why?" Jacob's voice was raspy. He'd spent the last two days crying and screaming obscenities at nothing._

_Edward's brows pulled together. "She's very smart, and I'm not saying she's not capable. I just think she's still so young. There are things she's never experienced before, simply because she has not spent enough time on this earth to get to them yet."_

"_Clearly," Jacob said dryly, taking another swig of beer. That was what had started this whole mess. "Fuck, I can't believe I actually said that to her."_

"_She sees babies in stores, restaurants, parks, wherever," Edward responded, waving a hand, "and she certainly responds like a woman. But there's a little nag of fear every time, something she won't even admit to herself. Things like, 'What would I actually _do_ with a baby?' and 'I don't think I can handle that.' She won't admit it, but she's not ready yet. And she won't listen to me," he added, rolling his eyes, "because I'm not Carlisle, and apparently, that makes me more biased, but I don't think she has anything to worry about. I think she'll be able to continue with her cycles for a long time, probably longer than is normal. She's just trying to use it as an excuse."_

"_Sounds like you've discussed this with her," Jacob noted._

"_Why do you think I'm here?" His voice was bitter. "I'd rather be over here and not saying things I'll regret." He sighed. "Granted, a lot of the conversation was one sided, but I feel like more comes of it when she just rants." He grimaced. "She's not liking it over there, either. She wants to come home; she's just too stubborn to admit it."_

"_God, this feels like shit."_

_Edward sighed. "I know. I'm sorry, Jacob. I'll support you, though." He patted Jacob's back, and then got to his feet. "Maybe the move will do you some good," he said quietly, and with that, he turned and was gone._

It had been another day before she'd come home. She walked in around six in the evening, wearing her work clothes. She'd given him a polite hello before heading into the kitchen to start dinner. During their meal, it was clear she wanted to act like nothing had happened and just go back to normal, so he tried to appease her. It was difficult. Conversation stayed away from the topic of children. They made love, but it was a struggle for him to finish. It felt like she was just going through the motions. He hadn't even been sure if she'd finished.

And for the past eight months, while things had slowly healed and returned to normal, she hadn't once asked him about his feelings about children.

He couldn't really say that he blamed her.

"Honey?" She was waving her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Jake."

"Sorry." He got to his feet, closing up the empty pizza box and setting it on top of the trash can. "We should get going. Those thing usually start as soon as it's dark enough, and it's getting close."

She beamed at him, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. "I'm so excited!"

He burst out laughing, the look on her face was so comical.

Pulling in to the drive-in, Jacob smiled slightly when she rested her hand on his knee. Being stuck in a car together had had its advantages, and he felt like they were almost back to a place of complete normalcy, like they had been before all the baby drama had exploded and they'd found out exactly what "for better or for worse" entailed. He'd missed the girl he married—his easy going, carefree best friend. They'd joked together, marveled at the scenery, and laughed when he had done doughnuts in a parking lot in Kansas. He pulled them in to a spot. A Tuesday, it wasn't very busy. Mostly, it was families. A few groups of teenagers hung around here and there, and Jacob held her hand tightly as they walked to the concession counter.

"What do you want?" he asked, nodding to the counter, when it was their turn.

She smiled at the pimply kid behind the counter. "I want two things of popcorn, a pretzel, some Sour Patch Kids, two things of nachos with extra cheese, and a Coke."

Jacob blinked. "Hungry?"

"I'm in a mood for some really horrible food," she grinned. "Isn't that what you're supposed to do on vacation?"

"You forgot a hot dog," he informed her.

"Oh, no, wait!" She turned back to the boy, who was assembling her pile. "Do you have corn dogs?" Jacob snorted with laughter as the corner of her mouth curled into a little smirk. "I really want a corn dog."

Standing directly behind her, he wrapped his fingers around her hips and pulled her back against him. "You want a corn dog, huh?"

"Yep." She was fighting back laughter. "The one I had last night wasn't enough."

Jacob spluttered a little, trying to keep relatively cool. He buried his face in her neck briefly. "Shit, kid," he mumbled. "You could have asked if you wanted another one."

She blushed scarlet, but smiled brightly at the boy as he returned her change. "Thank you," she said sweetly.

"I'll have the same thing," he said, grinning. "But I want two corn dogs."

That did it. Her face, which had been relatively controlled, cracked into a grin, and she burst into giggles.

Somehow, they managed to make it back to the car without dropping anything. She set up a blanket next to the car so that they could hear the radio, which was tuned to the theater's station. He was just sitting down to enjoy his junk food when she spoke.

"I don't think I want kids for a while," she said, and it was so sudden, he stopped his corndog halfway to his mouth. Her eyes were following a couple with two children, who were squirming and whining. There was a slightly amused look on her face, and she shook her head. "I'll deal with them at work, but I don't think I can handle them right now." His mouth was still hanging open when she glanced over at him, and she smiled slightly. Her eyes sparkled. "You've never done anything that would cause me any kind of harm in my entire life, so why would this be any different? I've been doing a lot of thinking for the last few months, and I think I'd be a lot happier if we waited a few more years."

"I can't believe you just said that out loud," he marveled, still holding his corndog.

She frowned. "I know. I don't even know what I was thinking. I'm making all this fuss because of going to school, and how I want to have this great experience, and I can't do that if I have to take care of a baby. And that made me realize that I wanted to be a little selfish." A mix of confusion and contemplation crossed her face. "I mean, I like kids, and if I were to somehow get pregnant, we'd be fine. I just…" She sighed, and looked up at him, seeming a little ashamed. "I just want it to be you and me for a while." She reached out to take his hand. "I started taking my pills again last month. I never should have stopped in the first place without telling you, and I'm sorry."

Jacob put down the corndog and reached over to take her hands. "Don't be sad," he soothed, rubbing the backs of her hands with his thumbs. She stared morosely up at him. "I feel the same way. It's okay."

"I just feel like I should want kids, you know?" She shrugged, glancing down at her food. "We're married and I feel like it's kind of what's expected. Like we were supposed to have all our crazy sex before we got married." She shook her head, smiling. "I think our sex life has only gotten kinkier since we've been married."

"Because you'll let me fuck you upside down. Literally." He grinned.

"Ah, yes," she said, rolling her eyes upward. "A position that had to wait until marriage."

Quickly, but not so fast anyone would suspect anything odd about them, Jacob pushed their food to the side and pulled her up to straddle his lap. He rested his forehead against hers, and a little smile pulled at the corner of her lips. "Nothing about us is what anyone else would call normal," he said. "We may be married, but do you know how surreal it is that you're only eleven? When I was your age, I was as tall as Alice and my voice was three octaves higher. You're a fully grown dental hygienist who wants to go back to school to become a dentist." He shook his head teasingly and used his annoying gay voice to break the tension. "It just boggles my mind."

She punched him lightly. "Stop. I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you."

"Sorry." He made his face straight.

She turned her head, eyes narrowed, toward the carousel. A little boy was screaming and punching his mother, who was fussing over him. "My parents would have beat the crap out of me if I'd acted like that."

"You were a smarter kid than that," he reasoned. "You were able to use psychological warfare to screw with your parents."

"I recall messing with more than my parents," she said thoughtfully, turning back to him and leaning away from him slightly. He supported her so that she was in a comfortably reclined position.

"Ah, yes," he said, smiling slightly. "I still recall the first time you and your mom tag teamed me. It was horrible. Your dad really thought you were _that_ upset."

She giggled. "I was actually happy."

"Our kids won't be like that," he promised, nodding toward the little boy, who had now thrown himself on the ground and was actually kicking and screaming. "Jesus, you really can tell who beats their kids any more. My dad would have taken a ruler to me himself, and that was usually my mom's job."

"Ouch."

"A little inhumane, perhaps," he mused, "but that's the way it was." He shrugged. "We won't have to deal with that, though. We'll just raise 'em right. Respectful, and all that. Like little hippie kids who talk about their feelings and hug trees and shit."

She laughed. "Thanks," she said, kissing his cheek. "And thank you for having my back when I didn't want you to."

"Remember when I wouldn't have sex with you right away?" he asked, and she blushed. "Same concept. Something just didn't feel right. Now that the pressure's off, it feels better." He brushed her hair back. "And didn't you agree back then that it was better that we waited?"

"Granted, two weeks is a lot different than years," she laughed.

"But it was like years then," he mused. Around them, the sounds of the carousel and teenagers laughing and chattering swirled through the night air, mixing together. "For you, anyway."

"Right, because I was a teenager." Her eyes sparkled again. "Did your teenager years go that slow?"

He blinked. His life before her was what he imagined it would look like to a vampire recalling their human lives. It was vague, and he had to stretch. "Sometimes," he said. "Especially before I met your mom, when I was young. A minute was twenty, an hour felt like a day, and a year felt like an eternity." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Just like yours did, for about a year."

"Sometimes it still goes slow."

He grinned. "When does it go slow?"

"When you leave on business trips, or I have go to a weekend seminar." She toyed with the exposed patch of skin at the front of his shirt, running her fingers over his chest. "Any time we aren't together, pretty much. Including," she added, scowling now, "the three days I spent getting stared at by my father while he just read my mind. He barely said a word for three days, and he finally sent me home because he couldn't stand to hear my whining about how much I missed you."

"Why didn't you come back sooner?" He ran his hands gently up and down her calves. "I missed you."

"Because," she said wryly, "I have this really awful stubborn streak. And my dad is also stubborn. And my mother. It was a three day stubborn fest. The only time we really talked was when my dad left to go check on you, because he said he was worried about how you'd be holding up without me." She smiled. "My mom thought it was funny, because twelve years ago, he'd be happy if you were miserable." When she shook her head, it made her curls bounce about merrily, and he saw a glimpse of the little girl he used to know. "I laughed for about a minute before I started to cry. I felt horrible."

Jacob scoffed and sat her back on her butt. She squealed with mock indignation, grinning at him. "I don't want to talk about your dad's feelings," he said, reaching for a corndog again. "We're dudes. We don't talk about that shit."

"Yes, you do," she said softly, and she reached out while he took a bite to show him something. "Not to each other, but you do."

_Jacob had been home for three days, and she hadn't heard a word from her parents, so she was a little annoyed when the first contact from either of them was from her father, calling to see if Jacob was still coming over for poker night the next evening. She commandeered the phone, taking it to the bedroom to scold her father._

"_You left him alone when he was completely vulnerable," her father scolded in return. "You have no idea what a mess he was. He'd been crying, which was hard for him to admit, and his diet consisted of carbs in the form of beer. I know you don't think I do, but I really do care about him. He's your husband and he makes you happy. He's your mother's best friend in the world, and I think of him as a friend, as well." He sighed heavily. "You know I love him. You can't blame me for worrying about him, especially when I know you're fine because you're your self enough to fight with me." There was a hint of a smile in his voice._

_They'd ended the conversation peacefully, deciding that she would come over tomorrow night as well, to help Esme with the house hunting._

"He loves you," Renesmee teased, and Jacob scowled at her.

It occurred to him, though, that this made her happy.

"I won't touch you for a day if you tell him," he said, frowning, "but I love him, too. He would light himself on fire for you if he had to. The only reason I could ever leave you alone in a high school with a bunch of teenage boys was because I knew he was there and he would deliver the same ass kicking as I would, if need be." His eyes gazed straight into hers so she could see the truth and feelings of his words. "We don't agree on a whole lot, but what we do agree on, we're both kind of nuts about. I have to respect that."

A huge smile crossed her face, and she laced her fingers through his again, closing her eyes and focusing. A second later, he was in her head, and he had to catch his breath.

For the first time in years, she was really happy again. Then the connection stopped, and her eyes opened.

"I love you, Jacob," she whispered.

He raised her fingers to his lips to press soft kisses against them. "I love you, Renesmee Black." Fuck, he loved her. His _wife_.

"So this is what for better or worse means," she mused, picking up her nachos.

He shook his head, picking up the corndog again. "I swear, it's like sometimes you're inside my head." He watched her chew her food. "I guess so, yeah. Hopefully, it doesn't get worse than that."

"Will you still love me if it does?"

"I hate to tell you this, kid," he said, shaking his head, "but you're sort of stuck with me. I'll stalk your ass if I have to."

She snorted with laughter. "Oh, God," she said, wiping her mouth. "That's sexy."

"You, spitting nachos everywhere?" He grinned. "Kind of makes me want to do you right here."

She was so beautiful, sitting with everything tucked under her long, brightly colored dress. The dress did a fair job of containing her breasts, but there was still enough cleavage visible to make his blood boil. He ate in silence after that, watching her every move. She giggled a few times at commercials, people watched and tried to discern regular locals from any travelers like themselves, and munched on her food while she checked the score of the Sox game on her phone from time to time and making little noises of indignation. After twenty minutes, she was finished eating and the movie was starting. It was some action movie—he wasn't sure of the title. But he was sure of one thing.

He had to get his hands on her.

It turned out not to be too difficult. They moved to sit in the backseat of the car, windows rolled down so they wouldn't steam up, and he hid his hands under her long skirts to rub, squeeze, and pinch her sensitive parts. She did a good job of keeping quiet, and no one noticed them. He brought his wife to orgasm, and smiled as she came apart in his arms. He'd wanted to have sex with her then, but she decided it was too risky.

"I can't promise I won't ride you so hard," she'd whispered, lowering herself to the floor, "that I wouldn't make the car rock." Then, she'd pulled open his shorts and smiled. "You went commando today?"

"Easy access," he explained, grinning. "It's kind of nice."

"I like it," she said, pulling out his hard cock. "Not a lot between your dick and my mouth."

He had to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep from shouting. It didn't help that she took him _all_ the way in, down her throat, which she relaxed to allow him complete access. It felt amazing, similar to the road head she'd given him two days ago, when they'd fallen about six miles behind her parents. Something about doing this, essentially in public, was extremely arousing to him.

"I'm going to come," he mumbled, trying not to yell.

She hummed around him with satisfaction, and he gasped in a sharp breath as he shot his load down her throat. Greedy little sex pot that she was, she gulped it all down, going so far as to lap up the remnants with her little darting tongue.

"Get it all, baby," he whispered, watching her lick his balls clean. Fuck. She was kind of dirty. "I'm gonna fuck you hard when we get back, you know that?"

She grinned up at him. "Are you, now?" she asked, tucking him back into his jeans.

"You bet I am," he growled. "I feel like every time you give me head, it just makes me want to fuck you."

She giggled a little, her cheeks reddening. "That's kind of dirty."

"You're dirty," he muttered, running his hands down her throat. "You _so _love to swallow, it's like you can't wait to get me in your mouth."

He thought this would make him win, end the conversation simply by making her too embarrassed to do anything but sheepishly smile at him and shrug. Instead, she actually answered him.

"I really can't wait," she confirmed matter-of-factly, climbing up into the front seat of the Camaro. Her eyes were narrowed slightly as she cocked her head off to the side, staring at him. "Don't tell me you don't like the idea of your jizz in my mouth."

Jacob wacked his head on the roof of the car as he tried to climb into the driver's seat. "Jesus, honey," he said, rubbing his head. "Take it easy. I have to be able to get out of this car, and that's hard to do with a hard on."

"Hard?" Her smirk widened. "I'll give you hard." And she cupped a hand over his crotch, giggling.

"Grab that blanket," he said, starting the car. "We're leaving."

She hopped out, grabbed the blanket from next to the car, and climbed back in, tossing it in the back seat. She was smiling. "The movie's not over yet."

"I don't care," he growled, and she shrieked with laughter as he pulled out of their spot and on to the little pathway.

_a/n Hope you liked it! There's much more to come! More firsts were alluded to here, and those will come along later. Keep ideas coming! I'm rocking with working stuff in. Thanks!_


	24. High School

_a/n You guys make me so happy. I love reviews. And I love writing this to keep myself sane. Enjoy my next attempt at sanity, set about a month after "Walk In." Physically, Renesmee is about fourteen here. A fair few of you suggested this one, so pat yourselves on the back, sit back, and enjoy.  
_

_**HIGH SCHOOL**_

Jacob spent most of the morning scowling, sitting at the kitchen counter with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. "You're not going to let her wear that, are you?"

Bella frowned back at him, her dark eyes disapproving. "It's a skirt, Jake. It hits her knees."

"But that top is too tight," he said, frowning. "And it shows off…" He waved his hands. "Too much."

"I think she looks adorable," Bella countered. "And I picked out that top."

"Hello," Renesmee said, frowning as she reached across Jacob for the eggs. "I'm right here, and I can hear you." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he blinked, a little hurt.

"I'm just trying to look out for your best interest, kid," he explained. "High school boys only think about one thing."

"And that one thing," Bella interjected, "will be how scary her big 'brothers' are." She shook her head. "You keep forgetting that Emmett and Jasper have promised to follow her as much as possible."

"You don't seem concerned," Jacob commented.

"I'm not." Bella shrugged and started putting cookware in the sink. "If I were really concerned, I'd go with her."

"And give up your dreams of a college education?" Edward stepped behind his wife and kissed her cheek. "Never."

Bella glanced at him briefly before turning around with a frown on her face. "You look nice."

"Thanks."

Her frown deepened, then she glanced at Renesmee. "You see any girls flirting with him, you kick the shit out of them."

Edward snorted, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his lips to her forehead. "You're very cute when you're jealous," he teased. "I promise not to give the girls false hope. And I'll text you when I'm at lunch." He kissed the tip of her nose once before pulling back to grin at her. "Be good today. Don't forget to take the dog out."

"I won't," she laughed. "We're going to be moping together all day, I'm sure."

Renesmee turned to look at Jacob, reclaiming his attention. "You're not going to work today?"

"No," he mumbled, fidgeting with his fork. "I'd probably just screw something up."

"No you wouldn't," she said, rolling her brown eyes at him. "You're a badass."

"Language," Edward said, a small frown on his face. "Honestly, Renesmee, I don't know where you picked up such a vocabulary, but I'd appreciate it if you could humor me by not using it in my presence."

"It's Vanessa," she said, tossing her hair. "And you're my brother, so you can't tell me what to do." Her grin was a little dangerous, and she shoved away from the table. "Let's go, or we'll be late." She danced across the room to give Bella a hug. "Love you. Have a good day."

"Wait!" Bella darted away, returning a moment later, camera in hand.

"Mom, come on," Renesmee whined. "It's so silly."

"Just one," she begged, moving Renesmee to stand next to Edward. "Please? For me?"

"Fine," she mumbled, wrapping an arm around Edward's waist and putting on a bright smile. There was a flash, and Bella smiled.

"So cute!"

"Please don't start crying," Renesmee begged. "I'm not even getting on a bus. I'm riding with dad."

"I know." Bella's face was a little pained. "I just…" She shrugged. "I'll miss you."

"I'll be back at three thirty."

"I know." Bella reached for her daughter's sweater. "Just in case it's cold in the school," she explained.

Renesmee rolled her eyes, taking it from her mother. "I don't get cold, momma, but I'll do it for you."

Bella wrapped her arms around Renesmee. "Have a good day," she mumbled, her face buried in her hair. "If you need _anything_, you have Daddy's schedule, so you can find him and—"

"Mom." Renesmee pulled away and put her hands on Bella's shoulders, smiling. "If I need anything, I'll call you and you can come pick me up. But I won't need anything. I'll be fine. I have classes with someone all day, remember? Alice is in three classes with me, dad's in two, and Uncle Emmett is in P.E. with me. You couldn't have me better protected." She stepped closer and rested her forehead on her mother's, twining their fingers. Both of them closed their eyes, and finally, Bella smiled a little. "See? Those kids got nothin' on me." She winked and danced out the front door.

"You'll keep an eye on her?" Bella whispered, her eyes wide as she turned back to Edward.

"Two eyes," he amended. "And two ears, as well."

"I love you."

Jacob pushed his chair back and followed Renesmee out the front door to give his friends a little privacy. Even though she tried to hide it, it was clear she was having a hard time with this. But she was in the middle of her online degree, and even though she was very controlled, she thought high school might be a little too much for her right now. Any enrollment plans had been dashed the year before when she'd had a very near miss, only having been stopped by Jacob and Emmett. Since then, she'd been very shaken and leery of any unnecessary human contact, except for her family.

So she was staying home today, and Jacob was staying with her. Because as mopey as he would be at work, it would only be worse if he knew his friend was home alone, crying into a pillow, all alone.

Renesmee was standing outside Emmett's new Infiniti SUV, the only thing big enough to hold all of them. Edward had griped about this, but since he and Renesmee were supposed to be posing as twin freshman, there wasn't a whole lot to be done about it. She smiled when he came out to stand in front of her. "So what are you guys going to do all day?"

"Oh, the usual," he said, smiling slightly. "Watch paint dry, grass grow, all that good stuff."

She gave him a pleading look. "Please, don't let my mom mope all day. Aunt Alice said it's going to be cloudy, so maybe you guys can get out of the house for a few hours, do some shopping. Rework her self-esteem." She smiled a little. "All that good stuff."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, smiling at her. "Anything you say, ma'am."

She rolled her eyes as her father emerged from the front door, followed by his pouting wife. Climbing into the middle seat behind Rosalie, she rolled down the window to talk to him.

"Don't have too much fun," she teased lightly.

"Have a good first day," Jacob said, sighing slightly. "See you."

She beamed up at him. She was so excited about going to high school, it was ridiculous. He hadn't said anything to her, but he didn't think she'd last. She'd get bored. Then she'd come home and keep being homeschooled. "See you," she said, giving him a little wave.

Emmett reversed the car and started backing out of the driveway. Jacob and Bella stood side by side, watching them go in silence. Once they'd disappeared, Jacob frowned. "I need a drink."

He half expected her to argue that it was so early, but she set her chin. "I'll make you whatever you want. What do you want, Jake?"

"Something strong."

Seven strong drinks later, Jacob found himself in the passenger seat of Bella's car outside Underwood High.

"So what exactly are we doing here?" he asked, his speech a little slurred.

"Eavesdropping," Bella said, her perfect body perfectly still. "Quiet."

Jacob glanced out the window. They were parked next to the main office, and with the windows down, Jacob could hear the voices inside. Bella's sharper hearing allowed her to discern exactly what they were saying. After a minute of sitting still, she suddenly sat up a little straighter, a frown on her face. Jacob listened closer, and could hear voices coming from inside. It sounded like teenage girls.

"…so cute, did you see?" The first girl's voice was nasal, and Bella made a face. Jacob tried not to laugh.

"I like the redhead," a second voice said. "He's so sexy. Did you see how his pants fit?"

"I heard he has a girlfriend," the first girl said, and her voice was a little jealous. "An _older_ girlfriend."

"Like, older as in…"

"College." There was disdain in her voice, and Bella's lips curled back from her teeth. "Statutory rape much?"

Jacob couldn't help it. He burst out laughing at the idea of Bella raping Edward. You couldn't rape the willing, and if they were going to go with the age issue, Edward was the rapist. Bella punched him in the arm, and he managed to rein his laugh in to little chuckles. The girls were still talking.

"…sister's kind a of a bitch."

"Which one?" The second girl sounded curious, and the sound of paper coming from a copier drifted into the window.

"The blonde," the first girl said. "I tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't give me the time of day."

Bella snorted at this, and Jacob punched her arm. "Trying to listen," he mouthed, grinning.

"Obviously none of them are very inviting," the first girl continued. "I mean, I sat next to the girl that looks like the hot boy, and she didn't say much either."

"Well of course she didn't say much," the second girl said. "Geeze, Anne, give them some credit. It's their first day—they don't know anybody."

"Whatever," Anne muttered. "If his girlfriend's in college, that means she's not here. Maybe I can get with him."

"I don't think so." The second girl's voice was doubtful. "I mean, have you _seen_ his girlfriend?"

"No." Anne sounded annoyed now. "Have you?"

"I saw them in town last week with their parents," the second girl said.

"And?"

"She's hot," was the response.

Jacob burst out laughing again, this time at Bella's reaction. She ducked her head and hid behind her hair, and Jacob knew if she could be, she'd be purple and red by now.

"She can't be that hot." Anne was trying to sound flippant, it was obvious. "She can't be any hotter than me."

"I'm not saying you aren't pretty, but this girl is just sexy. Like he's universally sexy? She's universally sexy."

"Whatever."

The sound of papers being moved around interrupted the conversation, and their discussion turned from the Cullens to getting the papers to the right rooms.

"Interesting," Jacob said, leaning back in his seat. "So we've learned that Anne wants to put the moves on your husband, and Rosalie's a bitch. What else is new?" He chuckled.

After a few more minutes of listening, the Cullens came up again.

"Dr. Cullen is such a looker," someone said, and there was a giggle. Probably the receptionists. "And that man that's a friend of theirs? You know, the mechanic that works at Lewis's shop and lives over on the edge of town?"

"He's friends with them?" There was interest in the woman's voice. "The sexy Indian guy?"

"Yep." The other woman's voice was dripping with lust. "I'd like to sink my teeth into that man's ass. He's just this big, beefy hunk of a man."

Bella didn't seem to be able to contain herself then, and she burst into hysterics. She clutched her sides as she cackled, and Jacob just frowned at her. When she finally calmed down a little, he asked, "Do you know how much that could hurt?"

The office door opened and closed while Bella vibrated with laughter, but both of them silenced up when a familiar voice interrupted the women's conversation.

"Hey, Mrs. Miller." Jacob could almost picture Emmett leaning casually against the counter. "I forgot something in my car. Can I please run out and get it?"

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Miller said kindly, and Jacob snorted when he realized it was the woman who wanted his ass.

Thirty seconds later, a curious looking Emmett was walking toward the car, his head cocked slightly. He leaned down into Bella's open window. "And what are you two doing here?"

"Listening to Mrs. Miller talk about taking a bite out of Jake's ass," Bella spluttered.

"Hasn't anyone told you that eavesdropping is rude?" He grinned. "I saw your car pull in."

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Ememtt rolled his eyes. "I know I look like a big dumb lump, but do you know how many times I've taken physics? Enough to never need to crack a book ever again."

"How's my baby doing?" Bella's face was a little anxious.

"Fine," he grinned. "She got the eyeball a couple of times, and when we first got here, some guy said he'd like to get a look up her skirt. Jasper was close enough to have heard him anyway, and he turned around and told the guy he'd been to prison and wasn't afraid to go back. Nobody's actually had the balls to say anything to her since, and Edward and Alice have been glued to her all day. She's gotten excellent coaching in how to remain aloof."

"Good." Bella smiled with satisfaction. "Tell Jasper thank you."

"You guys going to be out here for a while?"

"I don't know," Bella said. "I kind of want to be a real creeper and get under some windows. What side do I need to be on?"

"Ness's next class is actually right up there." Emmett pointed to a window on the other end of the building. "You can probably hear everything, because the window's open."

"What class?"

"Algebra, with Edward." Emmett grinned. "She said she's going to be bored." He straightened up. "I'm going back. See you."

"Bye," Bella said, and she turned the car on so she could park where Emmett had directed. "Let's listen in on both of them, shall we?"

When the bell had rung and students arrived in their new classes, Bella and Jacob directed their attention to the window where someone was announcing that this was freshman algebra, and if you were in the wrong room to scram. Seats were alphabetical, so that he could learn names, he announced, and there was a scuffling as students got themselves in order. He took attendance as he pointed out their seats, pausing when he got to Edward Cullen, then Vanessa Cullen. "You two related?"

"Twins." Renesmee's sweet voice wafted down to their ears.

"Lovely. Donnavan, Anne."

"Here."

"That bitch is in a class with my husband," Bella hissed.

"Calm down, Cujo."

Roll continued, until "Watson, Amanda," answered "Here," and the teacher introduced himself as Mr. Nelson. Mr. Nelson was not going to be as easy, he said, as their junior high teachers had been, but he was always available after school for questions. Questions were encouraged. And so on, and so forth. There was a rustling of papers.

"Now, this is not for a grade," Mr. Nelson said, as groans rose from the class. "Just to see what you retained from pre-al. I want to see if I have to start from scratch, or if we can just keep going. Do your best. You have ten minutes."

The next ten minutes were very quiet. Little scoffs and groans could be heard, and the sounds of students shuffling up to the front to turn in their papers.

"Is he grading them?" someone whispered.

"Yeah." There was a groan. "I hope he doesn't announce our scores."

"Quiet in the back," Mr. Nelson said, his voice silencing the whispers. "Thank you."

A few minutes later, the sound of a chair squeaking across linoleum. "Alright, kids," Mr. Nelson said, "the jury's still out. Some of you did okay, a few of you did really well, and a lot of you still seem to think it's summer time. We're going to review for the first two weeks," he said, the sound of paper landing on wood and groans announcing that he was handing back papers. He paused when he got to Edward. "Are you sure you should be in this class?"

"Yes, sir." Edward's voice was very polite.

"Did you take algebra at your last school already?"

"No, sir, we've been homeschooled until now."

"Huh." He paused again at Renesmee. "Vanessa, you too?"

"Yes, sir." She was so cute. "The counselor told us to sign up for freshman algebra."

"Come see me after class," he ordered, continuing backward through the alphabet.

As he started his lecture, it was clear is was scoping out the alleged twins, trying to gauge exactly how smart they were. They answered correctly most of the time, and when Renesmee answered one wrong, Mr. Nelson laughed. "It's alright, Miss Cullen," he reassured her. "You're only human."

Edward snorted, and they both heard the smack that meant she'd wacked him on the head. He must be in front of her. Anne's annoying giggle sounded quietly, and Edward let out a heavy sigh, probably less than excited about Anne's thoughts of boyfriend jacking.

The class progressed, and at its end, right before lunch, Mr. Nelson recalled his two Cullens to the front.

"You have another sister named Alice, right?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." Renesmee answered him.

"She told me you kids were all homeschooled," he said. "Your parents did a fine job."

"Thank you, sir," Edward responded, his voice respectful.

"I think you'd all be fine in geometry," Mr. Nelson continued, and Bella did a little dance in her seat, a goofy, proud grin on her face. "I'd need to give you a little more thorough testing, but I think it would be a bit more challenging for you."

"Really?" Renesmee sounded confused. "You can do that?"

Mr. Nelson laughed. "I can," he confirmed. "If a student shows an aptitude beyond a particular class, I can petition to have you advanced. Then, when you're a senior, you can take some of the more challenging math classes, maybe earn yourself some college credit."

"That's cool." Renesmee seemed a little proud, herself. "Thank you, Mr. Nelson."

"No problem."

"Hey, Mr. Nelson, do you think we could borrow your classroom for a minute?" Edward asked. "Vanessa's having kind of a rough day and I want to talk to her where it's quiet."

Jacob's stomach lurched a little.

"Of course," Mr. Nelson said. It was clear he was already impressed with them. "I'll wait outside."

As soon as the door was closed, Renesmee burst out, "I _hate_ high school!"

Edward burst out laughing. "Oh, darling," he said, "come here. You need a hug."

"This sucks." Her voice was a little muffled. "I've never been so bored in my life! I mean, I feel like Jake's idea of watching paint dry would be more entertaining than this, and I'm supposed to act like it's hard?" Her voice was a little scalding. "That bimbo behind me got one right. How do you do that?"

"You have to pretend a little," Edward explained. "I know it's hard." She huffed. "Okay, maybe not the best phrase to use, but you know what I mean."

"I know." She groaned. "I miss mommy."

Bella whined softly, her bottom lip jutting out.

"I do, too," Edward said quietly.

"Why couldn't she come?" Renesmee had stopped sounding like a teenager, and now sounded like a little girl who just wanted to go home to her mom. Jacob reached over the squeeze Bella's hand when Bella's whimpers didn't stop.

"You know why. She didn't want to have a mistake," he reminded her.

"But mom's a badass," she stated. "She'd be fine."

"Language, dearest." Edward laughed again. "I know she would, darling, but it's not about that. It's about keeping her happy."

"Do you think she misses us?"

Edward chuckled. "She's actually parked outside. Emmett told me about it last period."

There was a scrambling, and then Renesmee appeared at the window, a huge smile on her face. She waved enthusiastically at them, and they waved back.

"Hi," she said, her voice no louder than it had been before.

"Hi, baby." Bella smiled up at her daughter. "We were bored."

"So you're sitting outside the school?" Edward appeared next to her, shaking his head. "Classy. Kind of stalker-like behavior, but I guess that's okay."

"Love you," she called. "Get going before they notice you're gone."

"Hey, kid," Jake laughed, waving. "Bye, kid."

"Are you drunk?" she mouthed.

He shook his head. "Nope. Just thought your mom should drive. Just to be safe, you know."

"Right." She shook her head, her curls bouncing, before she waved and disappeared. Edward vanished after her.

"Okay, let's go home," Bella said, starting the car. "They're right. We're kind of pathetic."

"They didn't say we were pathetic," Jacob corrected, buckling his seatbelt as she pulled out.

"They implied it," she mumbled. "I think I'm pathetic. I can't believe we drove all the way over here."

"You miss them," Jacob said, hanging an arm out the open window as she turned onto the highway, her foot slamming down on the gas. "It's okay. I understand."

"No, you don't!" she burst out. "You may feel a need to protect her, but she's my daughter! I carried her and gave birth to her, and I'm not comfortable if I'm restricted from being with her." Her face was upset, and Jacob pointed to a little side road.

"Turn here," he ordered. "Trust me?"

She jerked the wheel, turning onto the back road and going down about a mile before she stopped. They were a bit outside of town, in a heavily wooded area. Nobody would notice them pulled over. She burst into tearless sobs, and Jacob unbuckled and climbed out of the car. He strode around to her side and opened the driver's side door, squatting down and taking her hand. She continued for a few minutes, and he rubbed his thumb across her hand.

"Come on, now, honey," he murmured. "Calm down. It's okay. They'll be home before you know it."

Her lower lip was quivering. "I feel like she doesn't need me anymore."

Jacob burst out laughing, and she scowled at him. "Sorry, Bells," he said. "You know that's silly, though. She needs you more than ever. You're her mom. She'll always need you. There's some things men just don't understand," he added, shrugging apologetically. "Guess you're stuck with her."

"Yeah." She managed a little laugh.

"I need you, too," he said, and she giggled. "I need you to make me lunch. And some more drinks. Today sucks, I'll give you that."

"That it does," she agreed, restarting the car. "Let's go home, boy."

Jacob made a fake barking sound at her, and she laughed as they pulled back onto the road.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

By three o'clock, Renesmee was done. She'd never been more bored in her entire life.

And she still had four more years to go.

Listening to her uncles chattering, she heaved a sigh and shifted her designer bag to her other shoulder in a human gesture she'd picked up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father glance at her. He gave her a questioning look, and she sighed again.

_I just want to go home._

"I know," Edward said, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Good first day, kid?" Emmett asked when they were all in the car and he was backing out of the lot.

"Okay, I guess," she said, shrugging. "It was so boring, though."

Jasper was frowning when she looked back at him. "Really?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "They moved all three of us up to geometry, didn't they?"

"Oh, lovely," Rosalie said, smiling back at her, proud as ever. "You're so smart." She tossed her hair at her husband. "Isn't she smart, Emmett?"

"Bright as a halogen light," he said, chuckling. "But if you're already bored in algebra, don't you think you'll be bored in geometry?"

"Probably." She crossed her arms and slumped in her seat.

"Don't pout," Edward scolded her.

_I'll pout if I want._ She frowned at him. _It's your fault anyway._

He stared at her, frowning back. "How is it my fault?"

_Too much homeschooling. I can already get through calculus, and that's supposed to be one of their advanced classes._

"I told you it would be boring, dear," he responded.

_But couldn't you have left out something?_

Edward sighed, rubbing his forehead. Behind him, Jasper chuckled a little. "Must you argue?"

_I must. I don't agree with you. _She slouched a little more in her seat, jutting out her lower lip a little.

"Honestly," Edward spluttered, "I should have sent you to kindergarten."

"I resent that!" she burst out, and now Emmett was laughing silently, too. "I resent the implication."

"But you look five right now," he pointed out, a little petulantly.

"I wonder where I get that from," she muttered, showing him a picture of himself, pouting at home over his new car, which he couldn't actually drive anywhere yet.

"Do you have to have the last word _every_ time?" he asked, and his voice was a little whiny.

"It's hard," she shot back, "when you keep trying to get it."

"Oh, for heaven's sake." He crossed his arms and turned to face forward, pouting now.

Alice giggled and Edward's eyes narrowed a little.

"You're pouting," Alice pointed out.

"Shut up."

"Now who's acting five?" Renesmee rolled her eyes, turning to face the open window.

He huffed, but didn't say anything.

Emmett finally pulled into their driveway, both of them got out silently and headed inside. The smell of baked goods wafted out from within, and Renesmee made her way to the kitchen to find that her mother had covered the entire countertop with cookies that she and Jacob were now decorating.

"Looks like you two have been having fun," Edward commented, wrapping his arms around Bella and squeezing.

"Jake's look like crap," she laughed.

"That's because you put too much rum in the Coke," he said, and his voice was a little slurred. He shook his head and held out the tube of frosting. "Here, kid. Decorate some cookies."

Renesmee smiled. Much more fun than school.

_a/n And if you recall, by the end of the year, they'll be spending time in Chicago, so no more high school. Which makes her happy. Because high school sucks. SUCKS. You couldn't pay me to go back :)_

_A fair few of you have asked to know the order thus far, so here you go:_

_Day; Birthday; Crush; Brawl; Walk-In; High School; Driving; Runaway; Drinking, Smoking, and Nose Breaking; Dance; Date; Touching; Sex; Death; Cliff Diving; Jealousy; Trip Alone; Job; House; Fight; Christmas; Home Alone; Drive-In._

_Tell me how they roll in order—I've never actually read through them that way… And leave me reviews! More ideas, please! Keep it crankin'!_

_Keep an eye on the outtakes, too. I'm working on a new one for you Bedward fans. Get it? "Bed" ward? Any takers?_


	25. Kiss

_a/n This one's been planned for a long time, but you've kept on asking for it, so enjoy! Sorry for the wait—I had to restart about ten times._

_Set about a month after "Dance."_

_**KISS**_

"Oh, my God, that feels _amazing_."

"Yeah?"

"Oh, God, yes." A sharp inhale of breath revealed a hot spot. "Oh! Right there."

"Here?"

"Yeah." The covers shifted a little. "A little harder."

Rachel's bedroom door opened, and Renesmee looked over to see Jacob and Paul standing in the hall. Jacob's eyebrows were raised. "Do you hav any idea how wrong that sounds?"

Rachel scowled at her brother and Renesmee giggled, continuing her work on Rachel's back. "She's being kind and understanding," Rachel snapped. "I spent all morning lying on the bathroom floor, and my back hurts."

"Where were you this morning, Paul?" Renesmee glared at him, and he took a step back. Paul had been a little scared of Renesmee since she'd broken his nose earlier in the year, and it amused her to no end.

"I was sleeping," he said cautiously.

"Letting your pregnant wife puke all alone, without any loving support from you?" She scoffed. "Typical Paul."

"I was tired!"

"Typical Paul." Renesmee worked her thumbs into a particularly nasty knot between Rachel's shoulder blades, and she moaned.

"It was four in the morning."

"I wake up at four in the morning all the time." She smirked. "Typical Paul."

"That's because you only need about five hours of sleep in a night," Paul countered. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Renesmee narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can ensure that if you open your mouth again, the baby she's pregnant with now will be your _only_ baby."

Paul closed his mouth and Jacob chuckled. "Wise move, Paul." Paul glared at him, and Jacob shrugged. "I'm only saying, I've been on the receiving end, and it's not fun. Wise move."

"Be nice," Rachel mumbled. "It's her birthday."

"It's okay, Rach," Renesmee assured her. "I like to argue. Daddy thinks I would make an excellent lawyer."

"I concur." Rachel smiled. "I think I'm good. We need to get started down to the beach, anyway."

"I don't understand why we're going to the beach this close to dark." Renesmee frowned. "What's the point, when we're just going to have to turn around and come back in an hour?"

"Who said anything about coming back?" Jacob asked, smiling slightly as his sister passed him into the hall. He absently rubbed her back as she walked by, and she gave him a little smile. Ever since Billy had been sick, Rachel and Jacob had become closer than they had been previously. Faced with the real prospect of their father's death, they banned together. Rachel had called him crying, and he was spending almost as much time in Forks as he was in Chicago.

When she reached his side, Renesmee reached for his hand, and she sighed softly when his warm fingers wrapped around hers. "So what are we doing?"

Jacob blinked down at her as he led her out the front door, waving across at Rachel in farewell. "What do you mean?"

"We're going to the beach at odd hours of the day," she said, smiling oddly at him. "Rachel showed up at my house telling me I had to leave with her, and I got no explanation from my parents, who seemed completely unsurprised to see her there. Where are we really going?"

"You don't think the fact that it's your birthday could have anything to do with this?" He chuckled, and she could feel it in their joined fingers.

"But we already had my birthday party, and everybody was there." She cocked her head. "What's going on?"

Jacob just shrugged, fighting back a smile. "You'll see. Would you like to drive?"

"Not really." She frowned at the car parked in the driveway. "I need to get my own car for when I'm here."

"So bring one over." He chuckled. "You've four to choose from."

"Three," she amended. "The Toyota's yours. I abandoned that beast, but lovingly," she added, referring to the massive Tundra she'd learned how to drive in, currently parked in a storage unit in Minnesota. "And in any case, my dad doesn't seem to want me to have another one, and I'd have to ask him to move one over in any case."

"And in the meantime…" Jacob frowned. "I can see why you don't want to drive. I don't have the greatest choices here, either, though. At least his car's not so bad to look at."

"It's an old man car." She crossed her arms, frowning. "He's obsessed with this car. I feel like he's trying to sell me on it."

"He just wants you to be safe," Jacob explained. "It's a safe car."

From down the street, there was a booming of bass and the squealing of tires before a black Escalade roared up the road, spinning into the driveway before screeching to a halt. They stared at it for a moment before looking to see who on earth the driver was.

Seth bounced out, grinning from ear to ear. "I bought an Escalade!" he said needlessly.

"Wow, Seth," Jacob said, pulling Renesmee down the drive toward him. "Were you really that upset about Melanie?"

Seth blinked, confused. "Who?"

Renesmee snorted, and before she could stop it, it turned into a stream of giggles.

"Jesus, Seth, can't you even keep your girlfriends straight anymore?" Jacob was shaking his head.

"Exes don't count," he said. "I've moved on. Twice." He opened the backdoor before making his way back around to the driver's side.

Clearly, although he knew Renesmee would rather see him settled down, Seth seemed in no mood to tame his wild ways when it came to women. It didn't really surprise her that he'd bought a new car. He probably planned to use it to pick up more women—at least, once he found a woman in Seattle that didn't know him.

Jacob helped her up into the car, hoisting her a little by her waist, and maybe a little longer than he needed. When she glanced at him in her peripheral vision, she could see what he was up to.

"Hey, Jake?" Seth adjusted the rearview mirror, giving Jacob an amused look in its reflection. "You need to get better at your ogling. You're a little obvious." Renesmee giggled a little, and he mumbled something unintelligible. "Laugh it up, hoe," Seth added. "Glad to see you've decided wearing clothing is a plus. You look cute, for a change."

Renesmee felt her face flush as she recalled the last conversation she'd had with Seth, just a month before, in Chicago. After consideration and a long conversation with her mother, she'd decided he was right.

"_I mean, should I really not be dressing like this?" Renesmee hung up another shirt, frowning at it. "Dad hates it, too."_

"_I'm not about to tell you how to dress," her mother said, still sitting on the bed in Edward's childhood room, folding clothes for Renesmee. When she turned to look at her, Renesmee saw that her mother wore a small smile on her lips. She looked amused. "I do think it's a little much, but if it's really what you want…" She shrugged. "And part of me likes watching your dad squirm. Sometimes, I think he wishes women still wore floor length dresses and deadly bathing suits."_

_Renesmee giggled. "You're really bad."_

"_I know." Her mother looked up from the pair of jeans she was folding. "There's just one thing I don't get." When Renesmee gave her a quizzical look, she continued. "I don't understand why you think you need to tease him to get his attention. You _dominate_ his attention." She shrugged slightly, returning her attention to the jeans. "And I think what you're wearing now looks good."_

_Renesmee frowned down at her clothes. She was wearing jeans and a white Calvin Klein shirt. Relatively boring. "Really?"_

"_Yeah." Her mother stood up from the bed and ventured into the closet, eyeing it critically. She suddenly smiled and pulled out a vintage, floral maxi dress she'd picked up in a shop last week. "This is fun."_

"_I just got it," she said, taking it away and holding it up to her. "Do you know how hard it is for me to find good vintage? My boobs are huge!"_

_Bella giggled again. "You should wear that on your birthday," she suggested, a little twinkle in her eye._

"_You think?" She hung it on a hook. "We'll make it a contender. What else is there?"_

"_Ooh! No, changed my mind." Bella pulled out another of her newer purchases. "This is adorable!"_

_Renesmee took the Marc Jacobs dress from her mother, frowning a little. She'd picked it up at Macy's the week before, and it still bore its tags. "You don't think it'll make me look twelve?"_

_Raised eyebrows made her blush a little. "You and I both know you don't look twelve."_

"Thanks, Seth." Renesmee crossed her arms. Adorable and cute were the descriptors of this dress so far. Not what she was going for. Then her mother's words came back to her…

"_I don't think you need to tease him to get his attention."_

As she thought back over the events of the day, she realized that she really didn't. It was certainly fun to make his blood boil, to see him actually blush at the tiny clothes she wore. But he'd been different today, keeping his arm wrapped around her waist for most of the afternoon. Normally, he would just hold her hand, maybe keeping a few inches between them. Today, though, she'd certainly dressed conservatively, for her, which she had been told by everybody was "so cute."

Except, she realized now, Jacob. He hadn't actually said anything. But he held her closer than was usual, stared at her a little more obviously, and gone out of his way to be a gentleman more than usual.

She smiled up at him, realizing suddenly that she'd been staring at him for about a minute without blinking, and she felt her cheeks flame. He smiled back. "What's on your mind, kid?"

"I'm trying to figure out what's going on with this random beach trip." Half true.

"You'll see," he said, still smiling. They pulled into the parking lot near the beach. "Come on." He climbed out of the car and jogged around to help her slide gracefully onto the pavement.

It was a beautiful evening, she thought. Warmer than usual, no rain, and just a light breeze. Seth ran ahead of them and Jacob wrapped his fingers through hers. He pointed ahead, and she followed with her eyes to where a bonfire was blazing a ways down the beach. She could see several of their La Push friends gathered around the fire, and she grinned.

"They thought you needed a _real_ party," he explained.

"Do my parents know?"

"I told your mom," he said, shrugging and smiling slightly. "She seemed fine with you being gone for a while."

"Of course she was," Renesmee said, rolling her eyes. "I swear those two spend half of their lives figuring out where they can sneak off to so they can get laid. You know I caught them in the stacks at the university library?"

"Seriously?" Jacob burst out laughing.

"Yeah!" Renesmee shook her head. "I was supposed to go out with my mom, but she was taking forever at the library, so I texted her and told her I was coming over there, so to wait for me. I couldn't find them anywhere. So I checked the odd places, you know, where the books are dustiest, and there they are, going at it like their teenage selves." She rolled her eyes. "I thought my dad's eyes were going to pop out of his sockets. He couldn't look me in the face for the rest of the day."

Jacob was still laughing, wiping tears from his eyes, when they reached the fire.

It was a great night. Wine and beer were passed around, their little crowd was kicked back and relaxed, and Jacob kept some kind of contact with her all night. When both of his hands were occupied with food, they were still sitting so close together that the side of his leg pressed against hers. He was wearing shorts, so his skin was pressed against hers, and it felt like electric currents passed between them. The rest of the time, he kept an arm around her waist or held her hand. Across from them, she saw Seth smile a little at her before returning his attention to Jared and Kim.

"Are you having a good time?" Jacob asked softly, his warm breath brushing her cheek when he leaned in to speak to her.

She nodded at him, smiling. "It's nice to see everybody again," she murmured, wrapping an arm through his and leaning against his side. It felt good.

"Yeah." He gave her an odd little smile. "Are you tired?"

"Not really," she said, shrugging. "The fire's so warm, though, it's kind of giving me that feeling like I could fall asleep."

"You want to take a little walk?" He nodded down the vacant beach. "Might wake you up."

"Yes." Renesmee smiled slightly, sliding out of the heals she'd been wearing. "I'm leaving my shoes here, though. I don't want to ruin them."

"And as funny as it might be to watch you walk in them in the sand," he added, grinning, "that's probably not a bad idea." He reached out a hand to help her up, and she took it. He led her around the log they'd been perched on and out onto the beach. Gentle waves brushed the bit of sand at the beach's edge, and Renesmee let Jacob lead her, her eyes closed.

"I missed being here," she said quietly.

"I thought I'd be happy to get out for a change," Jacob said, nodding, "but I missed it, too. The first night we were in Minnesota, I had a hard time falling asleep, and I realized it was because there was no white noise. You get so used to hearing rain on the roof for your whole life; it just feels nice and homey."

"I know." She took a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill her lungs. "It's so nice to be back, even if it's just for a few days."

Jacob was staring ahead. "I need to tell you something. I might be moving back here before much longer."

Renesmee stopped walking. They were a fair distance away from the others now. Her stomach lurched, and she stared up at him. "What?"

He shrugged. "Billy's not getting any better, and as hard as your dad and Carlisle are trying, they're not getting anywhere. It might be better if I just come back here."

Her heart was stopping, and her tummy was in knots. The concept of spending any length of time with Jacob across country was an unwelcome one, and her breathing quickened slightly. "But…" She frowned, upset. "What will I do?"

Jacob frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she said slowly, feeling the blush creeping into her cheeks, "what will I do? Imprinting goes two ways, Jacob. I…" She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "I'm not sure what I'll be like if you're two thousand miles away for an extended period of time."

The confusion left his face, and he smiled down at her, one hand reaching up to brush back her hair. His eyes were so warm. "You think I didn't think the exact same thing?" Jacob shook his head slightly. "I already talked to your dad. He and Carlisle have done about as much research as they can, so far, and they feel like they'd do more here. We would just move back and lay real low for a while."

She blinked. "I'd come, too?"

"I know you don't know what you'd be like if I was two thousand miles away," he said, his voice very gentle. Soothing. "So let's just not find out."

She reached up her hand to brush back his shaggy hair from his face, smiling slightly. "You should let my grandma cut your hair before you go," she said, her smiling threatening to widen. "Last time, it looked like you let a kindergartener do it."

"Just because I didn't have a good way of looking at the back," he defended himself, but his own smile crept onto his face.

They were standing so close now that she could actually feel the heat of their bodies mixing in the small space between them. Maybe all that heat was making little electrical storms, because it was like shocks kept going through her. Then an errant thought occurred to her, and she let the hand that had been fighting his hair run through his messy locks. His dark eyes closed and he leaned into her hand, sighing very softly. She wasn't really sure what to say to him. She wanted to say something profound, maybe profess her feelings for him.

Instead, she asked, "Do you like this dress?" and he burst out laughing. "Well," she said, removing her hands and frowning at him, "you haven't said a word about it all day."

"I like the dress," he said, still chuckling. "And I haven't been saying anything because I've been enjoying your reaction to everyone else's opinions about this dress."

Renesmee gave him a confused look and glanced down at her dress. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I lost count of how many times I heard how cute that dress is," he responded. "You don't like being called cute."

Frowning slightly, she lowered her eyes. "It makes me feel twelve," she said.

"You don't look twelve." She stared up at him again, and his eyes were dark. "You're growing up fast, kid. A little faster than I can wrap my head around, sometimes." He shook his head. "I've spent the last three months trying to think of anything else than the way you look." He chuckled, and the sound had an edge of darkness in it.

It sounded…sexy.

"It's like you refuse to acknowledge how attractive I think you are. I know exactly how much you've grown." His eyes darkened even more, if it was possible. "Maybe you really don't get it, but I cannot stop thinking about you. I have _never_ been able to stop thinking about you, but lately, it's different. Granted, it's hard _not_ to when you concider the way you've been dressing the last few months," he teased. He took a step back, and she felt her cheeks flame under his unconcealed, lustful gaze. "That's why I wouldn't do anything but hold your hand. I was afraid if I did anything else, it would lead to something you're not ready for yet."

Her stomach gave a nervous lurch. He was talking about sex, and she wasn't sure, when faced with it, that she was really ready for that yet.

The butterflies must have shown on her face, because he laughed again, the sound a little lighter now. "Don't worry, I'm not going to jump you. Like I said, I don't think you're ready for it. And I cannot," he said solemnly, "do anything to harm you. I'm tired of fighting this, though." He gestured in the space between them. Her breath caught in her chest when he closed the gap again, reaching up to cup her face in his big, warm hands. His splayed fingers covered space from the tops of her shoulders to the back of her neck. "It's exhausting. I need to do more than hold your hand, but I don't need _that_ much more. Neither do you."

He smiled slightly again, tilting her face up a little more, and her stomach nearly jumped into her throat, but this time it was a good thing. "You look beautiful in that dress."

Very slowly, as if he were trying to give her time to bolt, he leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers. His breath mingled with hers. And when she made no move to stop him, he very gently pressed his lips to hers.

The electricity that had been shooting between them for the past few months found a new home in their lips. She had been afraid that she would have no idea what to do when this happened, but as his soft lips brushed gently against hers, she realized that kissing Jacob was as easy to figure out as walking had once been. She sighed softly, and an almost inaudible groan sounded from deep in his throat. Her hands found a home in his hair, wrapping her fingers in his shaggy locks and pulling him a little closer. He was so tall, he had to crouch slightly to kiss her, and she squealed slightly when his hands suddenly left her face to swing her up into his arms. She giggled against his lips as he carried her toward a driftwood log a few feet back. He seated himself, and she wound up in his lap.

It occurred to her, as he continued to press very tender, gentle kisses to her lips, that she hadn't sat in his lap in a long time. The last time she'd been here, he'd been helping her open a Christmas present, and she'd been two.

This, though, was very different. She fit differently, more like a puzzle piece there, like it was where she belonged. She gasped a little when his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, and kissing her a little harder. When she felt his tongue gently trace the bottom edge of her lower lip, electricity jolted through her whole body, starting at her lips, and spiraling up between her legs. It was like grabbing onto an electric fence, but good. Another sigh opened her mouth just a bit, and he took advantage of the opportunity to lightly brush his tongue against hers.

It was as if she'd gone wild. She pulled his hair slightly, bringing herself even closer, and now he moaned, the sound vibrating back to that same place. All tenderness vanished, replaced by a sudden flare of fire. Still going only on intuition, Renesmee let her tongue dart back to his, and her stomach fluttered excitedly when she felt his lips curl into a smile against hers. Their tongues battled for dominance now, no longer tentative, and she couldn't stop the thought from running over and over in her head that she was actually kissing Jacob Black.

Jacob, who had been the best babysitter ever when she had been a child. The same Jacob who had worried over her when she'd gone off to high school, and the same one who had awkwardly endured her flirtatious efforts over the last few months.

And the Jacob who knew her inside and out, good and bad. The man who knew her horrible temper and her selfish ways.

The man who seemed to adore her, no matter what.

_Jacob Black is kissing me. I'm kissing Jacob Black._

For the first time in her life, she understood what it felt like to have a man's arms wrapped around her, and they were Jacob's. No one else's arms could possibly feel this wonderful. No one could ever smell so superb. She had always loved the way he smelled, but somehow, this close, he smelled even more amazing. It filled her senses, and another moan, this one not nearly as quiet or demure, escaped from her and went straight into him. He shuddered slightly. He was still cradling her, and she could feel…

He had started their kiss, and he was also the one to break it. His hands snaked back up to her face to hold it in place while he withdrew. She pouted at him, and he chuckled, giving her a peck on the tip of her nose.

"Sorry," he said, grinning and not looking sorry in the least. "If I didn't stop, I'm not sure…" He shook his head, his shaggy hair dancing around his face and hiding his eyes from her view. That was no good, she decided, shoving it back so she could see his face again.

It felt like this couldn't be real, and she blinked up at him. He gave her an inquisitive look, and when she didn't say anything after a moment, his face took on a look of concern. "Renesmee." He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, staring into her eyes. Into her soul. "Are you okay?" She could feel how wide her eyes had gone, and she nodded, unable to speak. "Are you sure?" He sighed, letting go of her and running his hands through his hair before he stood both of them up. A frown creased his brow, and he looked upset about something. "I'm sorry," he went on, not looking at her. "I thought you wanted…" Trailing off, he sighed, turning his face to look out at the gentle waves.

A weak laugh escaped her lips, but still, no words would come out. So rather than use words, she decided, she could show him. Just as he had done to her, she reached up, cupping his face in her hands.

His face relaxed, and he wrapped his hands around her wrists as if he was securing her in place. For a moment they stood in silence, the moonlight playing on the waves behind them. The only sounds were the water, their breathing, and their heartbeats.

Then a sinful grin crossed his face and he said, "I found a way to make you stop talking. Pretty cool."

Before she could swat at him, he was off, jogging down the beach and laughing hysterically. She gave chase, and he took off, not stopping until he reached the fire. Shaking her head, she sat back down next to Kim. She half expected a sly comment about their absence, but there was nothing. Nothing but a few smiles, a knowing look from Seth.

And nothing except for a tipsy Kim turning to her and cocking her head before saying, "Oh, honey, your hair is a mess!"

"It's always a mess," Renesmee muttered, and she smiled happily at Jacob as he made his way back around the fire to her, a bottle of wine in one hand and two plastic cups in the other.

"Up," he ordered, and she stood, slightly confused. He took her spot, and she was about to argue with him when he pulled her back down to sit in his lap again. Renesmee could feel her cheeks flush, but he didn't comment on it. To her surprise, he propped his chin on her shoulder as he reached his arms around her, putting the wine bottle in her hands.

"Hold this for me?" Out of her peripheral vision, she saw his grin.

"Sure," she said, dryly. "Not like you're giving me much of a choice."

"I'm very distracted right now," he breathed low in her ear. "I don't think I can hold _and_ screw."

Renesmee pursed her lips, trying hard to hold in laughter. He gave her an odd look, not having heard his words the same way she had, but a second later, he snorted.

"Good God, kid," he chuckled, "you're pretty bad."

"It's your fault."

"It's as much your uncle's fault as it is mine," he defended himself. "And in any case, it's true." She watched his hands as they easily popped the cork from the opening of the bottle. He took the bottle from her and poured them each a glass before setting down the bottle and smiling at her again. "Happy birthday, kid."

Then, in front of everyone, he kissed her again.

_a/n Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry it took so long. This was, for some reason, a lot harder to write than I thought it was. Review!_


	26. Caught During Sex

_a/n I've been wanting to do this one for a long time, and I think now's as good of a time as any. And somebody requested it. Set about a month after "Death." We've been lemon free for a couple of chapters, so it's time for some steam. SMALL CHILDREN—you know the drill. Peace out. Enjoy._

_I should mention this is one of those double firsts you guys like so much. See if you can spot the other one._

_**CAUGHT DURING SEX**_

It was official. Her parents seemed completely oblivious to her sex life. Otherwise, there was no way her father would have left her alone for a solid two weeks while they went on a trip to Minnesota. They were collecting a few things that had been left behind before the hasty move to Chicago, then sightseeing on what Alice had promised to be several cloudy days on the way back.

Which meant two weeks more or less alone with Jacob. Her father had stipulated that she needed to spend time at the main house. Esme was doing repairs, and Renesmee was helping her, learning some of her grandmother's many skills.

But she slept at home, and when he wasn't busy with his sister or lawyers or the shop, he was with her.

Tonight was going to be one of those nights. She'd spent the last eight nights discovering that, when she wasn't awoken nightly by her parents, it was very quiet in their little house. Jacob snored a little, which was cute, but not annoying. He was always turned on in the morning, which she'd known already, but it was nice to enjoy it again.

The past nights, he'd just shown up, knocked on the door, entered the house, and then entered her. He'd fucked her off the edge of her bed, on the floor, and in the shower. Tonight, though, he'd called first, early in the morning from the shop.

Renesmee was halfway through her coffee, frowning at a rerun of _Celebrity Apprentice_ with Rod Blagojevich, and was taking another sip when he blatantly told her, without a hello or anything, "I need to have sex with you." She snorted hot coffee, and he laughed. "Sorry. It's just been one of those days already. It's only nine and I'm in the middle of a crisis."

"What's wrong?"

"Quil forgot to file our taxes." He sounded like he was gritting his teeth. "He's on the phone trying to get that sorted out, so it's just Embry and me, and it's rough a man down."

"I can help." Renesmee frowned. "Well, I can change tires and oil."

There was a pause from the other end, and she could hear Embry shouting something in the background. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "it would be one less thing we'd have to do." Another pause. "No," he said, and she could almost see him shaking his head. "I can't ask you to do that. You stay home. Enjoy your day, and I'll see you tonight."

"No," she argued, "it's no big deal. Grandma will understand, and it's not like I'm sneaking out or anything. I'm going to help you work."

"Don't you have homework?"

"Later," she said dismissively. "I'm going to change, then I'm coming over."

Hanging up before he could argue with her further, she tossed her phone onto the counter and raced to her room. Throwing open her closet, she began to dig, needing something appropriate for shop work. She finally found a pair of Levis her mother had purchased for her, saying every girl needed a good pair of work jeans, and threw them on. In the back of a bottom drawer of her closet, she found an old Van Halen shirt she'd stolen from her father and threw it on, too. She pulled her hair back in a bun and pulled on socks and a pair of waterproof hiking boots. She got a look at herself in the mirror on her way out and sighed softly.

The girl in the reflection looked freshly eighteen. Her clothes were comfortable, the faded shirt just hugging curves that hadn't been there a few years ago. Her growth was slowing, and soon she would be finished, but it wouldn't be far off from this.

If only her damned boobs were a little smaller.

Watching Jacob work had always been one of her favorite things, but somehow, knowing he was the majority owner and general manager of this bustling little shop made it even more exciting. Once she'd parked and made her way inside, she watched as he changed an alternator, observing the flexing of his muscles under his skin and tight black t-shirt.

Apparently, he liked watching her work, too. When she arrived, he gave her the smallest jumpsuit he could find, and it actually fit her fairly well. The guys that came through throughout the morning stared at her, and the women gave her jealous stares. She paid little heed to these, only feeling Jacob's burning gaze on her every time she slid out from under a car after she finished an oil change.

By lunch, she was ready for a break. He'd been driving her out of her mind all morning, touching the small of her back when he'd reach around her for something, even going so far as to kiss her, albeit chastely, in front of some twenty-something guy with sandy hair.

She was starting to go out of her mind.

Jacob announced to Embry around one that he was going to take a break for lunch. He casually mentioned that Renesmee was breaking, as well.

"We have to be good to the free help, after all," he joked. Taking her hand, he led her back through the garage and through the main office, where a red haired woman was waiting at the counter. Jacob gave her a charming smile. "Quil will be out in just a moment, Mrs. Cope." He winked. "Good to see you again."

Renesmee gave him a little shove when he turned down a short hall. "What was that?"

"She's here all the time." He laughed. "Quil is her favorite."

"Ew." Renesmee scrunched her nose. "He's too young for her." Jacob raised his eyebrows at her. "You know what I mean," she said, rolling her eyes. "We're the exception."

"You are rather exceptional, baby." He smiled slightly. He opened a door on the left, revealing Quil, squinting at a computer and holding a phone in one hand. "Quil, rest your eyes, man." Jacob shook his head. "Mrs. Cope's here. Change her oil, then take lunch. I'll be back in a while."

"Never had to file taxes before," Quil mumbled, glaring at the computer before shoving away and getting out of his chair.

"Then why did you tell me 'No problem' when I asked you to file the shop's taxes?" Jacob's voice was a little exasperated.

"Because I thought my mom would do them for me!" He threw out his hands. "I mean, she always has before. But she said I'd have to pay her!"

Jacob groaned.

"Let me call my grandma," Renesmee suggested. "She files our family's taxes all the time. I bet she would come over and have it done in an hour or less."

Quil blinked, his eyes a little bleary. "You think?"

"I can ask." She smiled and patted his back as he passed her. "Go take a break."

"Thanks for helping out today, Nessie." Quil rubbed his forehead. "Seriously, you're a lifesaver."

Feeling her cheeks flush a little, Renesmee managed a small smile. "No problem."

The door closed behind Quil, and Renesmee turned to examine the office. A few photos of Quil, Jacob, and Embry were in frames here and there, and Renesmee wandered from photo to photo, looking at them in wonder while Jacob ate a sandwich and typed away on the computer. One photo caught her eye and made her smile.

The trio looked very young, maybe only five or six. Jacob's face bore the same huge grin, and his dark eyes twinkled, just like they still did, like he was up to some mischief. His cheeks, though, were a little rounder, still clinging on to a last hint of baby fat, and she smiled. She'd have to go through Billy's things and find baby pictures of Jake to torment him with later, she decided.

After about fifteen minutes, she was jerked back to the present by a soft clicking sound. Turning, she saw Jacob, one hand still on the door's little turn lock. She smiled slightly. "What are you up to?" she asked.

"No good," he muttered. His eyes were a little hazy, and she could see the lust burning there. She giggled when he put his hands on her hips, guiding her back to the edge of the desk. "I've been watching you all day," he said needlessly. "You look so fucking hot."

Renesmee brushed back her hair as he unbuttoned her jumpsuit, revealing the jeans and t-shirt she wore underneath. "I'm a mess," she whispered.

"You're sexy," he said, and his voice left no room for argument. He unbuttoned her jeans, shoving them down to her knees and sliding one finger between her legs and groaning. "You're already wet."

"I have been all morning," she groaned.

"Dirty girl," he growled. He sat her up on the edge of the desk, not bothering to actually remove any of her clothing. He shoved her jeans down to her ankles, spreading her legs and shoving her panties aside. With her pants more or less holding her feet together, it was hard to spread her legs very wide, but she suspected he would use this to his advantage. "We have to be fast."

Her head dropped back and her eyes rolled when he rubbed himself against her, checking one final time that she was ready for him. "Then get started," she gasped, rolling her hips toward him.

With no further foreplay, he buried himself in her, his head falling back and a soft moan falling from her lips. She shuddered, gasping for breath and clinging to his shoulders, bunching his shirt in her fists. He stayed still for only a few seconds before he started pumping into her in short, hard thrusts. It felt amazing, and she moaned into his mouth when he leaned down to kiss her. The place he kept hitting was just right…

She came fast and suddenly, and he followed her immediately. She could feel him spilling into her, and the feeling prolonged her orgasm. When she finally calmed down, he was smiling at her, still joined to her.

"Love you," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Love you more." Renesmee could feel a little smile curling at her lips.

He pulled out of her, and she blushed when their mixed fluids leaked out of her body and onto the hardwood. Jacob just laughed and grabbed a sani-wipe from a little tub and cleaned the desk before he knelt under her on the floor while she stood over him, cleaning her with his mouth. She came again, moaning quietly at the sensations his probing tongue created in her.

When they were redressed, Renesmee made her phone call, and as she predicted, Esme was more than happy to help the boys. She was coming right over, and added that she would bring something for them to nibble on, which probably meant more sandwiches.

"I'm going to go home," Renesmee said, smiling slightly. Her cheeks were still flushed, and her legs were a little weak. It felt weird to be on her feet so quickly after having sex. "I'm not one hundred percent, and I want to get cleaned up."

"Can I come over tonight?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, slouching slightly so he could press his hips against hers. "I want you again later."

She giggled. "You've been terrible this week."

"I want you," he said, his voice matter of fact. "What's so wrong with that?"

"Nothing." Her legs spread slightly to allow his knee to slide between them. She quivered a little. "I just want to look nice for you, for a change." More hair was escaping from the hair tie that was supposed to be restraining it, and she shoved it back for something to do with her hands.

"Okay." He chuckled. "Besides, your grandma's going to be here soon." His eyes twinkled.

"Open the fucking windows!" Stripping the rest of the way out of the jumpsuit as she went, she started toward the window. She tripped a little, though, and wound up clumsily hopping toward the little window and fan while Jacob cackled with delight. It was so nice to hear him laughing she didn't even berate him for laughing at her.

Back at home, Renesmee scrubbed the oil and grime from her face and hands before taking a long, hot bath. She sighed softly, remembering the rough sex they'd had on his desk, sighing angrily when she became aroused again. She had things to do—hair to fight, clothes to pick out, and La Perla lingerie that wasn't going to wear itself.

For the rest of the afternoon, she dolled herself up, using product in her hair to tame the frizz that was fighting her, making her curls long and smooth. She put on just a bit of make-up—mascara, a little powder, and some fairly quiet lipstick—before she left her bathroom. So far, she was only clad in the underwear she'd had on that morning, and it wasn't very sexy. Yellow with white polka dot panties, and a white bra. She smirked when she pulled out a set she'd picked up on one of her many shopping sprees in Chicago, one that, like so many others, still had on the tags and had never been worn. It looked almost vintage, and while it covered more than most of her bras did, it was comfortable and, she thought, pretty sexy. Especially with a matching thong.

Clothes were harder to pick out. She still had to make dinner, and she didn't want to have to change clothes too many times. She ended up settling for a pair of dark jeans and a tight green shirt over an even tighter white camisole.

By the time Jacob knocked on her door, dinner was made, her clothes were spotless, and her make-up was touched up. He was smiling a little when she opened the door, and his smile grew when he saw that she was wearing an apron. "Oh, baby, that's cute."

"Thanks," she said, rolling her eyes. "I didn't want to get pasta sauce all over my nice shirt."

"You made me pasta?" He slid his hands over her hips to grasp her ass. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You looked at me," she said dryly. She smiled slightly and reached back to remove his hands. "Food first."

"Shot down before I could start," he said, shaking his head in mock sorrow as she put a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of him. He shook his head. "How I'm still hungry, I have no idea, but this smells amazing and I'm going to eat the entire thing."

"Esme brought food, then?"

Jacob laughed. "She brought a buffet. Taxes are done, though."

"She's pretty awesome like that," Renesmee said, her chest puffing a little.

"You're pretty good, yourself," he said, sitting down in front of his plate and swirling spaghetti around his fork. "Smells great." He took a bite, and she felt proud when he moaned in delight. "So good," he moaned. He swallowed and sighed. "I feel better now."

"I made it from my mom's recipe," she explained. "Woman knows how to cook."

Jacob nodded, and then blinked. "Wait. Did you make this from scratch?"

Renesmee raised her eyebrows. "Is that so hard to believe?"

He didn't respond. He just dug back into his food. She started in on her own plate, satisfied that it tasted alright, if maybe not as good as her mother's. But with Bella gone, it was either cook, or let Jacob try to cook. She snorted at the thought.

"What's funny?" he asked.

"Just picturing you trying to cook," she said, smiling slightly. "It's a scary image."

Jacob shook his head firmly. "I don't cook. Your dad tried to teach me once, and it ended badly."

A small smile pulled the corner of her lips. "I never knew that. When was this?"

He didn't answer. He just shoved more food in his mouth and when he finally spoke again, it was a change of subject.

"You look nice." He nodded at her clothes, honestly one of the more boring ensembles she'd ever picked out. "That color looks good on you."

"Thanks." She smiled slightly. She could feel her cheeks staining with pink as she took another bite, avoiding his eyes but feeling his burning into her. She considered saying something, and nearly stopped herself. Her eyes closed for a moment, and something he'd said to her during their first sexual encounter rushed screaming back into her brain.

"_I should have fucking known you'd have a filthy mouth."_

"Babe?" Jacob was staring at her now, but in a slightly confused manner.

Renesmee blinked rapidly several times, and then smirked at him. "You like this outfit?" she asked, before swirling more spaghetti.

"Yes," he said slowly.

"Then you'll _love_ what I have on underneath," she purred, feeling victorious when she heard his pulse quicken and saw his mouth fall open, just a bit. She ate the forkful of spaghetti, holding her ground under his intense stare. He watched her eat, his eyes trailing down to her throat when she swallowed. She raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you hungry anymore, baby?"

Jacob straightened up. He grinned right back at her, but it wasn't his normal, happy grin. This was his equivalent of the look she was giving her, and it was almost unbelievably sexy. His eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief. He picked up his fork, and speared a meatball. "Starved," he said, and he put the whole thing in his mouth.

Dinner was foreplay. Extended, physically chaste foreplay, with the exception of the moment when she had a little sauce on the edge of her lip. He'd smiled, leaning over to clean it up for her with his tongue, and he nearly made her lose any control she was holding on to. Then he'd leaned away and refocused his attention on his dinner.

She would do anything, she decided, staring at him while he ate, to get rid of the little line that lingered above his brow, giving away his constant state of stress. Despite his apparent decent mood, that pain was still there.

So when the dishes were in the sink and the leftovers stored in the refrigerator, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom, bent on giving him a little relief.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

If one more person told him how sorry they were for his loss, Jacob was going to scream or cry or phase. Possibly all three, even—who knew? Whichever way, it was with a moderately heavy heart that he left work that day.

All things considered, he decided, he was in a fairly good mood. This week was turning out to be exactly what he needed—time with Renesmee that didn't involve her father. Somehow, Edward seemed to have no idea that his daughter had been deflowered, and that was fine with Jacob. Bella might or might not know, but for some reason, she seemed to be helping out. There had been a few times when he'd been in Edward's presence and Edward would frown at him a little, like he was frustrated with something. It was the same look he gave anyone being shielded by his wife. It was reassuring.

In any case, not having to watch his thoughts was a relief. He stayed in bed with her, loving how it had felt the last few days, waking up with her still burrowed in his arms or, like it had been five days ago, with her head buried in his lap. _That_ had been the best wake-up ever. He'd lasted about a minute before coming in her mouth, and she had licked her lips like he was candy.

Tonight, she seemed intent on making him want to explode. She fucked with him all the way through dinner and was now leading him down the hall to her bedroom. He watched her butt sway in front of him, her long hair dangling down to just above the curve there. He wanted to pull it. Maybe it was a little odd and kinky, but she seemed to like having her hair pulled.

Hell, the woman just seemed happy on her knees.

"Sit down," she ordered as she dragged him inside her bedroom. "On the end of the bed."

"Here?"

"Yeah." She smiled sweetly at him, taking a few steps back. "You've been kind of bummed today, I can tell so," she shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "What would you like me to take off first?"

Jacob blinked. What did he… what?

She giggled. "What would you like me to take off first?" she repeated.

Feeling his mouth drop open, he stared at her dumbstruck for a few moments before he stuttered out, "Shirt."

Her cheeks were flaming with pink as she slowly reached her hands down to the hem at the bottom of the green shirt she wore. Very slowly, she removed her shirt, tugging it up over her breasts, which were still hidden by a few layers. In his peripheral vision he saw her arms stretching leisurely over her head, but his eyes were focused on her breasts. She wore a white camisole underneath, somehow more skin hugging than the first shirt, and underneath, clearly visible under the white, a back bra that looked lacy. Shirt off, she tossed it in his face, grinning.

He ordered her jeans off next, and yes, the bra was black and lacy, he discovered, because she wore the underwear to match. They came off as slowly as the shirt had, bit by bit revealing the flesh of her thighs, then her knees, calves, until they were finally off. When she did the same little dance with the camisole, he discovered that the bra actually covered her up fairly well, and almost reminded him of a fifties pin up girl. It was one of the sexiest things he'd seen.

"Come here." He focused on her skin, mostly exposed for him to investigate. She moved forward to stand in front of him, and he gave her panties a little tug. He felt a little bit of pride that he was starting to be able to recognize a few designer brands, some of her favorites. He could usually tell when she wore Gucci, and when she had Steve Madden shoes on.

And he knew La Perla like the back of his hand.

"I like this," he said, his finger wrapping around the band of her underwear. "Turn around." Her breasts even flushed, but she turned, showing him her back. He ran a hand over the exposed skin of her ass. "I like this a lot," he said, and he wrapped another finger around the other side. "I'd hate to ruin it, so how about we just take it off now?" He tugged the thong down over her knees and onto the floor. She stepped out of it, and he rested his hands on her ass again. "So beautiful."

It wasn't long before the bra, sexy as it was, had to come off, too. She watched him as she lay on the bed in front of him, her eyes hungry as he hurriedly stripped out of his jeans and boxers in one pull, removing his shirt and letting it fall onto the floor. One of her lamps was lit, casting a soft orange glow onto her skin.

One more thing to love about her—she loved sex with the lights on.

Her face was perfectly clear in the dim light. He watched her eyes first hood then roll back in her head as he slid into her. She enveloped him, hotter than anything he'd ever felt, and a really embarrassing whimper slipped from his lips. She didn't seem to mind. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him so that she could press her full lips to his. He wasted no time, sliding his tongue between her open lips and slowly, leisurely, kissing her back. When he pulled back and thrust into her again, she gasped, literally taking his breath away. Their lips broke apart and he could feel her warm breath in little pants against his face.

"I love you," she whispered, her eyes wide as she gazed up at him.

"I love you," he whispered back. "So much, baby." Holding his weight on his elbows, he pushed her hair back from her face. She whimpered as he stared down at her, moving over her and working her up.

Part of him wanted to take it slow with her tonight—she had to be tired. They'd had more sex in the past eight days than in the entire time they'd been sleeping together. But his little wild thing writhed under him, anxious for more, and he was more than willing to appease her. She moved onto her hands and knees, wiggling her butt at him and giggling. The dim light danced across her skin, illuminating the moisture between her legs, and he groaned as he slid back into her.

Being inside her gave him the relief he needed, like it always did, and it was so easy to drift into a world where only they existed. He let his head fall back, giving himself over to the sensations created by the contact of their flesh and the sounds she made. She had gone onto her hands and knees for him. She was screaming because he was making her.

He was so far gone…

The first indicator that they were not alone was the slamming of the front door. It was hard to miss—the sound it made closing shook the whole house. Both of them froze, and he thought fast enough to pull out and grab a blanket to cover them up.

The second thing he heard was the growling. It was very low, almost silent, as if it was escaping repression, but it was there. But there were no footsteps, no words being spoken. Just growling.

It was a sound, however, that Jacob would recognize anywhere, and Renesmee's eyes were wide. She may not be _as _familiar with that sound, but she still knew exactly what it was. Jacob reached for his clothes, for some reason only able to find his boxers and t-shirt. Wincing slightly, he pulled them on under the covers.

"Stay here," he mouthed silently, and she nodded, eyes wide. He got out of her bed and heard her behind him, trying to locate her own clothes.

Out in the hall, Jacob walked slowly toward the living room. The growling grew a little louder with proximity, and Jacob stepped into the living room, ready for anything.

Edward stood just inside the front door, his eyes nearly black, despite Jacob's assuredness that they had hunted recently. Bella's eyes, which were averted to the ceiling, were gold. When Jacob came into sight, Edward's hissing intensified.

What the fuck did he do now?

Bella's eyes were still focused on the ceiling, as if it were fascinating to her, and the corners of her mouth were a little tight. "We tried to call," she said, her voice a little strained. She seemed to be holding onto her husband very tightly. "You didn't answer."

Obviously. He'd planned briefly, he supposed, to handle this well—better, at least, than standing in his best friend's living room, in his boxers, just having been overheard.

Probably more than overheard.

The look on Edward's face answered this particular thought. His eyes were pitch black, and his lips were pulled back over his teeth. Maybe he'd only heard and not _heard_, he hoped.

Edward's soft growl increased into a loud snarl. "I know," he said, his throat still going, "_exactly_ what you were doing to my daughter."

Well, shit.

Bella gave Jacob an apologetic look, but she didn't say anything. The majority of her attention seemed to be focused on her husband.

"Listen," Jacob said, and he raised his hands, not sure of what he was going to say.

Jacob knew Edward was going to break half a second before it happened, and it was just enough time. He dodged to the side, avoiding Edward when he shot forward, snarling, and crashing through an end table.

"Edward!" Bella's voice was sharp, and his eyes snapped from Jacob to her. "That was a gift from your mother." Her eyes suddenly slid out of focus. It almost looked like she wasn't really looking at Edward, but whatever she was thinking made Edward straighten slowly out of his crouch. Her eyes focused again, and she raised her eyebrows.

"She's six years old!" Edward shrieked.

Jacob was a little surprised that the glass didn't break. Edward's snarls reintensified, but this time, Bella had enough time to get between them again. She was snarling now, too. It was a little scary to be this close to them, and he took a step back.

Until Edward got louder, and Jacob's protective instincts kicked in. "Don't go getting pissed off at her," Jacob growled, feeling himself starting to shake. "She's trying to help, you ass hole."

"Stay out of it, mongrel," Edward growled. "And get out of my house before I rip you to shreds!"

"Edward!" Bella actually raised a hand to him, slapping him across the face to knock some sense into him. It didn't even faze him. If anything, his snarls grew louder.

"I'm not leaving," Jacob shot back.

"This is a family matter," he spat, "and I'd appreciate it if you butted out."

Jacob threw his hands up, frustrated. "I _am_ a part of this family!" he yelled. "You know that!" Before Edward could interrupt, he continued. "I followed you to Minnesota to be with her and lived under five miles from you, for her. I haven't gone anywhere yet, and I'm not planning to! You should just get used to the idea that, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm a part of your family!"

Edward was still growling, and Jacob could feel it in the floorboards. Edward opened his mouth to speak, but a shriek from the hall stopped the words from coming.

"Daddy!"

It was high and piercing, and three heads snapped to look at its source. Renesmee stood at the end of the hall, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears. She stared her father down, and Jacob noticed that her hands were shaking with barely suppressed rage.

Well, like father like daughter, he supposed.

No one spoke for about a minute, and then Edward's face suddenly crumpled. "You wouldn't do that to me," he said, his voice pleading, "to your mother."

Her response was silent, but apparently damning, and Edward hung his head. "Do what?" Jacob asked, unable to keep himself completely contained.

"Leave," she said shortly.

Jacob frowned, seeing Bella's shock out of the corner of his eye. "No, you wouldn't," he said, agreeing with Edward for the first time all night. Maybe she would try, but he knew her—there was no way he'd let her. He stepped down the hall to wrap his arms around her, and Edward's rumbling started up briefly before there was the sound of another smack, this one to the back of his head, and the sound ceased. "You tried that once already, remember?" He smiled slightly, giving her a squeeze. "You barely made it out of town."

"That was different," she said, her voice clipped. Her arms betrayed her stress as she clung to him a little more tightly than usual.

"You can't run away when things get difficult," Jacob said, keeping his voice low. She looked about to explode, and he didn't want to be the one to incur her wrath. "Trust me, it doesn't work."

The tension seemed to be diffusing now, and Bella stepped closer to her daughter. "Come on, sweetie," she said, and she reached out to take her hand. Renesmee laced her fingers through her mother's, letting go of Jacob to follow. "Edward, Jacob, go outside."

Both men stared. "What?"

Bella frowned. "Girl talk," she said. "Go. Beyond earshot, please. And if I find out you're eves dropping, you will be beyond sorry."

Edward scowled at his daughter. "You're grounded, by the way."

"What?" Renesmee took a few steps toward him, but her mother pulled her back. "That's not fair! Why?"

"Because," Edward spluttered, and he sounded like he was fishing. "You didn't say anything about having company. You said you'd been hanging out by yourself, and you lied."

Before they could argue anymore, Jacob dragged Edward outside. The two of them stalked at a normal human pace out into the woods, and walked in an awkward silence for about twenty minutes before Edward finally spoke.

His voice was hard. "How long?" he asked.

Jacob stared at the ground in front of him. _Christmas,_ he thought, trying hard to keep the images out of his head.

Edward winced. He rubbed his forehead as if his head ached, stopping next to a downed tree. Again, as if he were exhausted, he sat down and stared at the ground. "You know I don't approve," he said, and his voice was still hard.

"I know." Jacob sat down on another log about ten feet away. The distance seemed to help.

"I'd have been much less upset if you could have waited." He didn't need to say what he would have rather they waited for, and Jacob could figure it out.

Again, "I know." Jacob folded his hands and stared down at them. "I tried. She just…"

"I know," Edward sighed. "You can't help it."

They were silent for a while, and Jacob shifted uncomfortably. It was kind of like waiting for a kettle to boil, and he wondered if the heat would get turned off or if the steam would knock the cap off.

Finally, Edward spoke again. "I'm thinking," he said slowly, "that this is supposed to be the part in this conversation where I'm supposed to ask you about what your long-term plans are, but I suppose that's a rhetorical question."

Jacob nodded. "I just…" He fidgeted, trying to word his question correctly, but Edward answered his jumbled thoughts just fine.

"I'd rather you wait until she's finished growing," he muttered. "But as far as my approval goes, you should already know the answer to that."

Jacob blinked, and glanced up. Edward had raised his head, and he looked very young again. He was smiling lopsidedly. "You're alive, aren't you? If I really didn't approve, you'd be dead by now. Bella's strong, but not stronger than me. I could have broken her hold if I'd really wanted to kill you."

"I can't believe she slapped you," Jacob said, and he managed a small laugh.

"I know." Edward sounded indignant. "I'm going to have to ask her about that."

"Be careful," Jacob warned. "You don't want to end up on the couch, figuratively speaking."

"Humph." Edward looked back at the ground. "Just promise me something?"

"Sure."

"Never do it when I can hear you," he begged, and Jacob burst out laughing.

"You guys do it all the time and she can hear you."

"That's different," Edward countered. "We're married, and she's my child. I'm supposed to want her to die a virgin."

_Not gonna happen._

Edward frowned, and Jacob laughed.

After about an hour, during which time they managed to discuss nothing but Jacob's plans to buy a new fixer-upper car to tinker on, they meandered back to the house. Jacob started to walk inside, and Edward stopped him.

"She's grounded," he said, and his voice was stern and fatherly all of a sudden.

"And I'm not wearing pants," he said, gesturing down at himself. "My keys are in my pants."

Edward frowned. "One more stipulation—I never want to see you without pants on… after." He shuddered.

Renesmee was in her room, and Bella excused herself to the living room when he knocked. "Five minutes," she said, her voice stern but her eyes twinkling. She reached up to tap his forehead and smile at him, and he knew she was giving them a little privacy. He winked at her and stepped inside.

She was wearing her pajamas now, hugging a pillow and sitting at the head of her bed. She smiled when he entered. "So my dad didn't kill you, after all," she said, smiling. She reached out to him as he knelt next to her, putting her hands on his face.

"Not yet," he whispered, leaning in and placing his hands over hers. She smiled at him, showing him little bits of her mother's approval. When she wondered what he and her father had discussed, he jerked his head at the living room. "I'll call you," he said, barely above the sound of a breath. Then he chuckled. "We'll need something to talk about, since you're grounded."

She huffed, her hands disconnecting from his face as she plopped back onto the bed again. "Stupid," she muttered. She kicked her feet out, scowling.

Jacob stared at her for a second, struck again by how beautiful she was. Her hair was still messy from their encounter, her lips just a little swollen, and he smiled, secretly a little proud at having left a mark. Her cheeks were pink against alabaster, and her eyes were half closed as she glared at her toes, which were painted red.

He blinked when her gaze moved from her feet, becoming curious as it focused on him. "What?"

He shrugged. "You just look really pretty," he explained. It should be obvious, but it wasn't.

She frowned again. "I'm wearing men's pajamas."

"I know." He smiled slightly, wishing he could take her with him. He was going to have to crash at Quil and Embry's again, it seemed—no way he was going back to Billy's.

And now he wasn't going to sleep tonight.

She was shaking her head. "Will you call me when you get home?" she asked, getting up on her knees to knee-walk over to him. She reached up, twining her fingers into his hair.

"Yeah." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, but it wasn't enough. He had to drop just a little lower, capture that mouth one more time…

"I love you," he whispered into her hair when his lips finally left hers.

"Love you more," she responded, equally quiet.

"Fight you for it."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely, kid."

"Call me." She gave his shoulder a little shove, her face a little pained. "Miss you."

He had meant to pull away from her, but instead, he reached for her lapel, giving it a little tug and bringing her face closer to his. "Someday," he vowed, "you won't have to say goodbye at night anymore." He kissed the tip of her nose. "And until then, I will ache for when I see you again."

Her cheeks flamed again, and she smiled shyly at him from under her long lashes. "Me, too," she said simply.

Giving her a final kiss on the tip of her nose, he winked at her before turning and walking out into the hall. Bella and Edward were on the sofa, his head in her lap while she played with his hair. He gave them a little wave. "Later."

Bella climbed out from under Edward. "Go tell Ness goodnight," she said. "I'm going to walk Jake out."

Outside, in the dark, Jacob finally allowed himself to slump silently against the side of his truck. Bella's brows furrowed, and she reached out an ice cold hand to gently rub his back. He heaved a sigh and wrapped his arms around her.

"You still want me to…" She cocked her head, reaching up to tap her head. "You know."

"Yeah." He explained no further, wanting neither of the prying ears inside to hear. "Thanks."

Bella nodded, giving him another sympathetic smile before kissing his cheek and darting back inside.

The last thing he needed, he reminded himself, starting up the truck, was for Edward to find out how fucked up he was, and that he was sleeping at Quil and Embry's, and never at Billy's. He would certainly bring it up, and there was always a chance of Nessie overhearing. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry.

So he put on a brave face and Bella shielded his mind—most of the time—giving him privacy.

And when he was with _her_, everything somehow seemed like it would be okay.

_a/n This is the song that never ends…_

_Seriously, was a bit longer than I meant it to be, but hey—whatever! Hopefully, you enjoyed. And what was first number two? Think Joe Cocker… And review!_


	27. Not Pregnant

_a/n Old business: Firsts from last chapter were… office sex and stripping. Hope you liked it. Now onto new business._

_A fairly high population of readers would like to see something to this effect. Hope it lives up to your expectations, you army of requesting, inspiring geniuses, who leave me such wonderful reviews. I had to develop these two to really help you understand how this could work. My interpretation of imprinting is that he's willing to give her what she wants, if it's something that won't hurt her. Renesmee wanted sex well before she got it, and Jacob didn't give it because he knew, like she did in the end, that she wasn't really ready for it yet. This is that same concept. Set about year before "Home Alone," two years before "Drive In." Enjoy!_

_Small children, go away. This is not for you._

_**NOT PREGNANT**_

Work had been miserable. It was Friday, a low staff day anyway, and two of the girls had called in sick, leaving Renesmee and Andy pretty much on their own. Renesmee had spent her lunch in the office with their receptionist, cancelling appointments that there was no time for, dealing with parents angry that their children would not get their scheduled appointments for back-to-school teeth cleaning.

One woman told her she had no idea how difficult it was to manage a high school boy's schedule, as she obviously didn't have children.

_Rub it in, bitch, rub it in._

After that one, Andy had actually paused from her maniacal dentistry to stop in the office door, frowning. "You okay, Vanessa?"

"Yeah." Renesmee dug her fingers into her hair, rubbing her skull, praying for relief. "Fine. Just some… stupid bitch."

Hopefully, though, things would change soon. She was planning on making a pit stop at the drug store after work, hoping that the last few weeks of hard bedroom labor would pay off. It had been much more difficult than she'd expected it to be, because for some reason, Jacob seemed to find sex for procreative purposes not nearly as engaging as sex for pleasure.

"_I just don't understand why we couldn't do this yesterday when I was awake." Jacob was lying on his back, and arm thrown over his face, and Renesmee was sitting on the edge of the bed, not sure how to take this._

"_Because I'm trying to sync it up," she responded, reaching for her robe. For the first time, she was uncomfortable being naked. She felt overly exposed. "I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be sorry, baby," he mumbled, and she felt their bed shift as he rolled toward her. "Come on. We can…" His voice trailed off, and his fingers trailed down her spine through the transparent robe she now wore._

"_No, we can't," she said, sighing. "You can't even think straight." Clearly._

"_We can do it tomorrow." He tugged at the back of her robe. "Come on. Lay down."_

"_I'm getting a glass of water." Without looking at him, she rose from the bed, leaving their bedroom and downstairs, closing the door behind her._

_He didn't follow._

That had been two weeks ago. It was true, they weren't having sex as often because they were trying to space it out, and that made it a little less exciting, but it had still sucked. He'd been so tired he was nearly asleep on his feet, and could barely get himself erect. It just hadn't worked that night.

It was the first time it hadn't worked.

The end of the day couldn't come fast enough. When it was five o'clock and she'd finished her final cleaning, she darted into Andy's office, handing off completed charts for her to sign off on, and rushed out, saying she had an emergency.

The emergency was the need for a pregnancy test, as well as her desperate need to pee, which had to wait for the damned test.

She bounced through Seattle traffic, anxious to get the show on the road. She'd been off the pill for almost two months, so it should, by Carlisle's reasoning, be out of her system. The problem was her damned cycle had no rhythm. She'd once gone four months without menstruating. It never bothered her, though. She took her pills religiously, and always had. They were a shot in the dark, but as she had demonstrated that other drugs worked on her, there was no reason to assume that birth control wouldn't do the same. So far, it seemed to have done its job. Over four years of unprotected sex with no children backed up that theory, unless they were irrelevant because she couldn't have kids at all.

She was hoping for the former.

Jacob wasn't home yet when she pulled into the drive, hopping inside with half crossed legs. Dropping her purse on the floor next to the door, she raced at top speed to the bathroom. Under the counter, stashed in a corner, was a sterile urine cup. Her grandfather had informed her that the best way to take an accurate test was to pee in the cup and dip the stick for twenty seconds. It had been one of the more uncomfortable conversations they'd ever had, but she was glad they'd had it. There was no time to grab a timer or her watch, so the cup was her saving glory. When she was done, she washed her hands, which shook just a little.

Her watch was on the bedside table, and she ran a hand over the comforter. Hopefully…

Stick in pee for twenty seconds finished, she laid the test flat, sat down on the edge of the tub, and stared at the second hand on her watch for two minutes.

It was a very long two minutes. Time usually passed quickly for her, the product of a rapid development. Now…

Tick. Tick. Tick. She could feel the milliseconds in between.

At two minutes, her heart suddenly jumped into her throat. Please, please, please…

One, faint horizontal line. Nothing vertical.

Not pregnant.

It felt like her heart had stopped beating. She put the little plastic thing back on the counter and stared at it, tears in her eyes. She wasn't pregnant. Her heart started again, and it hurt.

She blinked away the tears—they could try again. But what if…

The tears refused to stop, and she took a shuddering breath. It was the worst she could remember feeling.

Her phone rang, bringing her back to reality, and she sniffled a little as she climbed off the bathroom floor, making her way quickly downstairs. The phone was still ringing, about to stop, when she answered. She didn't even check to see who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe." His voice was cheerful. "Where are you?"

Fuck. She'd forgotten about fucking game night. He was at her parents' house, waiting for her.

"I forgot clothes," she said, wiping her eyes and scraping for an excuse. "I'm a mess, so I wanted to get cleaned up first. I just got home five minutes ago."

"Oh." He sounded a little surprised. "Okay. You alright?"

"Fine, I just had a really bad day." She started back upstairs, back to the bathroom, where the pregnancy test still sat on the counter, mocking her. "I'll be over in an hour or so, okay?"

"Okay." His voice was a little slow. "Are you sure? We can cancel."

"No, that's silly." She turned on the shower. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Alright." Still sounding unsure, he added, "I love you."

"Love you, too."

After a shower, she felt marginally better, but not by much. She pulled on a plain black polo shirt, capris, and strappy sandals that still didn't cheer her up. The family friendly Volvo mocked her, just like the pregnancy test and the bitch on the phone.

She sent a text message before she started the car, short and to the point, to her mother. _Shield. Will explain later. Please._

It sounded like a telegram. All it was missing was the stops. She started the car and backed out of the driveway. All the way to her parents, she saw children—kids in the backseats of cars, kids enjoying a momentary lapse in the rain, babies in strollers, and teenagers loitering in parks. While she was at a light, she watched a thirty something woman holding the hand of a little boy with dark, curly hair. There was a smile on her face, and he was looking up at her, talking up a storm. Did she have any idea how lucky she was?

Probably.

She finally made it out to Puget Sound and her parents' massive house. She keyed the combination at the locked gate, and it swung open to allow her clearance. Jacob's Camaro, his pride and joy, was parked already, and she pulled in behind him. From inside, she could hear Jacob laughing with her mother.

Her heart beat faster and her stomach churned. She locked the doors, and the car chirped happily at her.

"Fuck you," she growled, stalking away from the car. The only reason she'd kept the damn thing was for when she had kids. Maybe she should just take her barren ass to a Lexus dealer tomorrow…

Stupid. One missed shot didn't mean she was barren. But now, how did she know if she wasn't?

She didn't ring the bell like a stranger, instead opening the front door and stepping inside. This had been her home once, she mused, sliding out of her shoes and looking around at the decorations her mother and Esme had picked out. There were two things her mother loved buying, and one of them was furniture. She sat down on the couch, not really announcing her presence. Monopoly was set up on the coffee table and she stared at it, remembering now that Jacob had reminded her about this last night. She'd completely forgotten.

She was a horrible wife who forgot things and couldn't procreate.

Footsteps announced another presence in the room, and she glanced up to see her father standing in the entrance to the living room. He had a distressed look on his face. "What is the matter?" he asked softly, flitting to sit at her side faster than any human could hope to blink.

"I don't want to talk about it." Instead, she curled her feet up under her legs and burrowed into his side like she'd done when she was very young. "Please?"

He sighed softly, but wrapped his arms around her. "Rough day?" he asked softly.

She nodded, wrapping her fingers in his shirt and inhaling deeply. He smelled like her childhood—like sunshine and sweets and that smell fathers had that made them so comforting. Thankfully, he didn't ask what was wrong again, instead rubbing her back and resting his cheek on the top of her head.

"I'm thinking about getting a new car," she said, dying for a change of subject.

Her father frowned. "You don't like the Volvo anymore?"

She raised her head, propping her chin on his chest so she could give him an inquisitive look. "I never liked the Volvo. It's—"

"—an old man car, I know," he said, chuckling. The sound was warming, and she relaxed a little. "What would you get?"

"I don't know," she said, trying to think about cars. "Maybe a Lexus, or a Ferrari. Something fast."

"Really?" Edward's face lit up a little, and she smiled, glad to have pleased him at the prospect of her purchase. Then the smile faded a little. "Ferraris aren't really good family cars, though, darling."

She snorted and crossed her arms, pulling away to sit with her back resting against the plush sofa. "What family?" she mumbled.

It was more information than she'd wanted to give, but apparently, it was just enough. He sighed heavily, wrapping his arm back around her and rubbing her back.

"Well," he said quietly, "in that case, maybe you do need a new toy. We can go tomorrow if you want."

She rested her hand on his cheek, burying her face in his chest. _Don't say anything to Jacob. He doesn't know yet._

Her father nodded, and at that moment, her aforementioned husband finally appeared in the living room. He was smiling, but there was a look of concern in his eyes. She'd probably sounded sniffley on the phone, and he would, of course, be worried. She forced a return smile onto her face as she turned her head to look at him.

"Hey, baby," he said, moving to sit on her other side. "How was your day?"

"Really long," she said, the smile dissipating. His went away with hers, as well. "Really awful. Really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Okay." He shrugged at her, reaching over to rub at the small of her back. He didn't even seem to be aware of the motion—he was focused on her face. "You hungry at all? Your mom baked those double chocolate cookies you like, and you know my theory on those cookies."

She smiled despite herself. "'If she made enough, they could bring world peace,'" she quoted. "Yes," she added, answering his question, "I want cookies. Multiple."

"There's two plates," he said, raising an eyebrow, his fingers still rubbing her back.

"I want a whole plate and a glass of milk."

"Got it." He leaned toward her and his lips pressed gently against her forehead. "Be right back."

When he was gone, she pressed her face back to her father's chest, the feeling of his long fingers playing with her long curls making her nostalgic, and let just a few tears fall where no one could see them.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Most people bragged that they knew their spouses better than anyone, but more often than not, they were wrong. Jacob, however, literally knew his wife inside and out, upside down, right side up, and every diagonal in between. He knew when she was happy, sad, angry, giddy.

Right now, something was bothering her. She didn't want to discuss it, so he let the topic drop immediately, not wanting to see her cry. Her voice had sounded rough on the phone, and he knew that once she started, it was often hard for her to stop.

Perhaps blue was the best way to describe her. She spent most of the time snuggled up next to her daddy, as she was calling him tonight. And when she turned into the clingy daddy's girl of her baby days, he knew something was up. But he got her the cookies she wanted, watching with strange fascination as she did, in fact, eat the entire plate. No dinner, just cookies. And Edward didn't say a word, just smiling slightly while he watched her, still tucked under one of his long arms.

Jacob had heard very little of their conversation earlier—something about a Ferrari and tomorrow. Why his wife would want a Ferrari when she was trying to get pregnant, he wasn't sure, but after nine years, almost three of them spent in marriage, he had learned it was best just to give her what she wanted.

He rolled the dice, frowning when he landed on Reading Railroad.

"I own all four railroads," Bella said, her voice smug. "Pay up."

"Fine." He threw fake paper money at her and she laughed, snatching it delightedly out of the air.

He reached for the dice before so he could pass them to his wife. Her eyes were a little red still, and his stomach lurched, wondering what had happened to upset her like this. Crying meant one of two things for her—she was either really upset, or raging with fury. Her hair didn't appear to be near to catching fire, so he was going with upset, and the thought bothered him. She would tell him later, she decided, when she felt like it. He wasn't about to drag it out of her and make her cry again.

So he let her sit next to her father, even though he wanted her in his lap so he could bury his face in the hair he so missed. He didn't ask her all night, following her home without even going for his cell phone. She pulled into the driveway of their house—_their _house, the one they'd purchased together. He heard the clicking as she engaged her parking brake and he pulled in next to her. She was out of the car and at the front door by the time he opened his driver's side door. He locked up and made his way up to the front door, now being held open for him. She smiled slightly as he stepped inside, reaching around her to turn on the light.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, and her voice was very soft. She'd hardly said a word all night.

He shook his head. "Not really. More tired than anything. I think I'm just gonna shower and go to bed."

"Okay." She glanced toward the kitchen. "I'm just going to get a glass of water."

"Hey," he said, catching her hand and pulling her back toward him before she could escape. "I didn't even get a hug or a kiss hello tonight."

Despite her misery at whatever was ailing her, a little smile cracked onto her lovely face, and he pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. A little taste of salt lingered on her lips from her earlier tears, the ones he hadn't actually seen, but that had left evidence of their presence in her husky voice and red eyes. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, gently caressing hers in slow, languid motions. Her fingers slipped into his hair, and she accepted him, kissing him back as lazily as he kissed her.

When they finally came apart, a good deal of tension had left her shoulders. A tiny smile danced on her lips, one that was real and maybe a little hopeful.

"Tomorrow's Saturday," she reminded him, and there was a little twinkle in her eye.

"Let me wash off some of this grease," he laughed, "and I'll meet you in the Jacuzzi."

"Okay." She smiled at him. "Bring some towels with you?"

"You got it."

He made his way upstairs, pulling clothes off as he went. From the hall closet, he grabbed three towels, chuckling when he realized two of them were ones she'd stolen from Vegas years ago—mementos, she'd said later, of his proposal of marriage. Inside their bathroom, he turned the shower on so it would have time to heat up before tossing his clothes into a little laundry basket on the floor. He set the Planet Hollywood towels aside, deciding they'd be perfect for the Jacuzzi, and set the other on the sink.

His eyes landed on a little plastic stick that was resting there, opposite the towel, and he stared at it. He'd never actually seen one before, not in real life, but he knew what it looked like from what he'd seen in pictures and on TV. His stomach started to churn, but before he could panic, his brain registered something.

If it was a pregnancy test that was positive, there would be happy tears and she would have told him. He glanced at the door before picking it up and looking at it. There was a little horizontal line in one of the little holes. If memory served him correctly, this should be a plus if it was positive, but it wasn't.

She wasn't pregnant.

His knees gave out, and he sank to the floor, the little piece of plastic dwarfed by his huge hands, which were shaking. She wasn't pregnant, he thought to himself again. He tried very hard to keep his feelings from overtaking him, and he blinked his eyes shut. Jacob took a huge, refreshing breath and let it all out in one big rush. He blinked a few times, then got to his feet, tossed the test in the garbage, and climbed into the steaming shower.

This was the worst, Jacob decided, and the most ashamed that he had felt about himself in a very long time. It was a little unbelievable, but he knew he wouldn't be the only one who felt this way. On one of his wife's days out with her mother and grandmother, he'd discussed this with Edward, who had been a little surprised that Jacob had said yes to having children.

Now, he wasn't wrecked about his wife's lack of pregnancy—he was disturbingly relieved.

He had only been able to tell her "not yet" for so long. Only a few months after getting married, she'd made it known that she wanted a baby. What if, she reasoned, she only had a few years where she was viable? She wanted to try, she'd begged, to have a baby. She wanted to find out if she could…

And that was how he knew she wasn't ready.

Feeling like a pile of shit now, he reminded himself of what her father had reminded him of—he didn't want children for the same reasons as she. It wasn't that he didn't want kids, because he did. She would be a wonderful mother, no matter what, with her advanced levels of thinking and rationalization. However, as far as life experience went, she still had a lot of work to do on that. She was so young, only nine years old, that she had barely had a chance to experience life. She wanted children to see if she could, a somewhat juvenile reasoning and something that truly worried Jacob. The reasons he had were different, and what he considered to be more rational.

It was almost painful sometimes, how much he loved her. He wanted children with her to show her how much he loved her, how much they loved each other. He wanted everyone to see it. He wanted to make love to her, to mix them together and produce a child with the best of both of them, someone they could both adore and watch with pride.

Scrubbed clean of oil and grime, Jacob shut off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He reached for the dry towels still resting on the closed lid of the toilet and made his way out, drying his feet on the bathmat as he went. He wanted to forget what he'd seen, but he knew it would come up eventually. She couldn't keep a secret from him for long.

All the downstairs lights were off when he made his way through the house, and he left them that way. She had the back deck lights off, as well, and he smiled slightly. When he opened the door to the deck, his eyes locked onto her immediately. Her arms rested at her sides, her head tilted back against the edge. Her eyes were closed, and she looked much more relaxed than she had all evening. In the dim light, he could just make out the shape of her nude breasts under the bubbling water, and he put the dry towels on a lounge chair, suspicious that she was bare under the surface. Her eyes opened when she heard the soft rustling of his towel dropping to the deck, and he was glad that there were no lights in the back of their house. Climbing in, he felt her eyes on him, and he met them, smiling slightly.

"You look a little happier," he commented, sliding across the bench to sit at her side. He lifted an arm, and she nestled against his side, sighing softly.

"This thing is the best idea I've ever had," she said, her eyes closing again. She sighed wearily. "What a day."

He rested his lips against the top of her head. "Wanna talk about it?"

With enhanced hearing, he could hear perfectly when her heartbeat sped up a little. "Work sucked and I'm not pregnant," she said simply. 

"Oh." Whatever he'd expected her to say, he hadn't thought it would be quite so blunt. "Yeah. I know." He glanced down, a little shamefaced. "You left the test on the bathroom counter."

She didn't respond for a moment, then she finally said, "What if I can't?"

Jacob fought back the patronizing sigh that threatened to escape. "We just started trying, babe. It's probably going to take a while." _Please, let it take a while. Let it take _years_. _"Everything adds up to indicate that you can, Ness. When it's just the right time, you will."

"When the stars align," she sighed. "Maybe once every twenty years. Then I'll stop in my fifties, just like Nahuel's sisters."

"Nahuel's sisters," he reminded her, "don't really have partners. That's why they don't get knocked up."

"Whatever." She sighed before climbing into his lap. His arms slid around her waist, helping her get situated. Her bare butt settled on his thighs, and she rested her shoulder on his chest. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's just try it again." Jacob grimaced before he could stop himself. She slapped his shoulders. "What the fuck, Jacob?"

"Can we just stop having the weird, planned sex?" he begged. "I mean, Jesus, baby, I love you, but sometimes I'm just too tired or too drunk. Do you know what I mean? It's just not the same as regular sex."

She blinked at him, her eyes a little glazed. "You don't like it?"

"I hate not being able to have you when I want because I'm supposed to be conserving sperm or something," he grimaced. "I don't like having to get you situated so gravity can help out. I mean, as far as I know, people get pregnant in all kinds of positions. Paul knocked Rachel up at a drive-in, for Christ's sake."

"We have to go to a drive-in sometime," she mused, looking thoughtful.

"Please?" He propped his chin on her shoulder, giving her his very best pout. If all else failed, he supposed, perhaps a little humor could help diffuse the situation. "Please, baby, let me fuck you in all kinds of nasty positions. I promise to make it worth your while."

Finally, she giggled. "Promise?"

"I promise." Under the heated water, he gave her leg a pat. "Come on, baby."

"Come on, what?" The corner of her mouth was beginning to curl into a smirk.

"Oh, come on." He brought one hand up to drape his arm over his shoulders. His fingers dangled to just below the surface, and he let them brush against the side of her breast. "You leave all the lights off and get in naked, and expect me not to want you?" Her thick lashes fluttered when he let his lips trail up her neck, leaving a trail of soft, barely-there kisses, before making his way to her ear. He nibbled her earlobe softly, feeling himself harden when she sighed his name, very quietly. "I guess if you really don't want to, it's okay," he said, moving his hand from the outside of her leg to slide between her thighs, "We don't have to. But you just seemed to be setting a very specific mood, so come on, baby."

"Oh, God," she whispered, her head falling back. He supported her body easily, still idly stroking the side of her breast.

"Does that mean you want to?" he asked. He bit down on her ear again, and she moaned, her legs spreading and giving him ample room to slide up and caress her sex, already wet from the water and her own fluids. "I think you do. Your little pussy wants to, anyway." She moaned when he slid a finger inside her, and he watched, fascinated, as her back arched, bringing her breasts up out of the water. Her nipples were hard and erect, and with her fiery hair that was dipping into the water at its ends, her long spread legs, and the soft sex noises, she looked like what every man's vision of the perfect porn star should look like.

Nothing fake, entirely real, and absolutely his.

She was malleable in his hands, moving with him as he helped her to straddle him. He stayed seated on the bench, slouching down, just a little, so that he could be at a better angle to bring her down onto him. Smiling slightly, she rose up on her knees, dropping down when his hands wrapped around her shoulders to pull her onto him. She moaned, and he clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes had fallen shut, and she forced them back open. They drooped, threatening to close again.

"You have to be quiet, baby," he whispered, his voice taking on the authoritative Alpha quality. She shuddered, nodding, her eyes wide as she gazed up from under those thick lashes. She looked so innocent, but he knew better. Innocent described her as accurately as a gentle breeze described a tornado. It hadn't taken too long to find a rhythm with her when they'd first started having sex, but over the years, they'd found out other things about her. Sometimes, she liked to be in control, telling him what to do, and in those cases, he took her direction more than willingly, wanting to bring her the pleasure she so desperately needed. But sometimes, like tonight, she wanted nothing to do with control.

He thrust up into her slowly a few times, gyrating his hips under her so that she shook with delight. Over their heads, the sounds of a soft rain starting to pick up added to the mix with their heavy breathing and the gentle splash of water. He moved his hands down to her hips, directing her thrusts, keeping her rapid and shallow. It wasn't long before her head fell back. Her hands, wrapped into his hair, gave it a little tug. Her mouth hung open, and little gasps kept issuing from it.

It had been a few weeks since he'd been able to really give her a good fuck, and he wanted to be sure she remembered why this would be good for her. Why _he_ was good for her. She would never feel another man inside her, because she didn't need it—he made it his job to satisfy her in ways no one else could.

He swung her around, lifting her so that she could spread her arms on the stone edge to support herself. He was still connected to her, so he resumed his thrusting, a little more able to really pound her now. The rain was picking up a bit, enough that no human ear could possibly hear their soft grunts and moans. He slid his hands up under her lower back, massaging the skin there while he pounded her over and over. When his hands moved lower, firmly rubbing her ass, her head lifted, her eyes gazing into his. Her pupils were dilated and he nearly lost control at the sight. She was panting as he rubbed the skin where the cheeks of her ass met her thighs, just below the place where he was thrusting into her. Her mouth fell open.

She came violently, but nearly silent save for a few gasps and expletives. Her body quaked and shook violently. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she groaned, her head falling back again. "Oh, shit, that feels good."

"Yeah?" He stared at her, completely unashamed, her beautiful body more or less spread out for his eyes. Her torso was more or less above water, and he realized if he stood, he could bring her ass up above, as well. She squeaked a little when he rose suddenly, and he gave her exposed ass a little slap. "Quiet," he ordered. She nodded, giving him that innocent look again—that look that made him want to fuck her naughty ass into the next century.

Both of their eyes focused on the place where they were joined, hers starting to droop again. She supported herself with one arm, bringing her free hand to play with her nipple. He had a feeling she wasn't even aware that she was doing it, and he watched as she pulled her lower lip into her mouth, watching him thrust in and out, yanking and pulling on that nipple.

"Fuck, girl," he whispered, knowing she would hear. "So fucking sexy. All fucking mine."

"Yours," she whispered absently, a little gasp following the declaration.

"You feel good, baby?" His voice sounded lower and huskier than usual. Her head bobbed backward and forward in a limp nod. "You want me to make you come?" Another limp nod.

Easily, as if she were a rag doll, he pulled his wife to his chest, pressing her breasts against him, her busy fingers trapped between them. He nuzzled into her hair tenderly, the opposite of the rough things his dick and hands were doing to her. The motion brought his neck closer to her face, and her lips brushed against the skin where his neck and shoulder were joined. He tensed, close, but waiting until she was ready…

A soft, feral growl issued from her lips when she inhaled deeply. Her tongue darted out to lick a bead of sweat from the skin there before her teeth sank into his skin. A long, low moan escaped his throat as she quaked around him, nearly sobbing in her pleasure. While his blood filled her mouth, sliding down her throat and into her veins, he filled her sex to the brim as he shook violently, spurred over the edge by her earthshaking pleasure.

They came down slowly, resuming their earlier position with her seated in his lap, this time purring contentedly while she licked tenderly at his wound. He relaxed a little, glad to see the return of his wife's wild side, and he remembered what conversation had led up to this.

"So I guess you're okay?"

She hummed and nodded, nuzzling his ear with her nose. "Better than okay," she whispered. "I love you so much it makes me want to get a loud speaker and tell the whole world."

He laughed at her analogy, hugging her a little closer. "I love you, too, baby," he murmured. "So much." A huge yawn escaped him and he stretched his arms up over his head. "I think you wore me out."

"Sorry," she giggled, not sounding sorry at all. "Let me go dry off, then I'll come lay down with you."

She rose from the water, her legs, he noted with pride, a little unsteady. She sashayed in front of him, climbing up and out, back onto the deck, and hiding her beautiful body from him with a towel. She smiled cheekily back at him once more before vanishing into the house.

Letting himself relax, he sighed heavily as he sank back into the hot, bubbling water. His brain was a little foggy, but her failed attempt at pregnancy was still there. She wanted to try again, and had said as much, and as much as it broke his heart, he knew he would keep hoping for failure.

For now.

_a/n Whew! Took more effort than I thought it would. Hope you liked it. There's a lot still to come, and there will be even more if you guys keep coming up with ideas. Review!_


	28. Wedding

_a/n Fuck it. On with the show._

_**WEDDING**_

The sun had not yet risen behind the clouds to promise yet another cloudy day when a soft tapping on her window woke Renesmee Cullen from her light sleep. She sat erect, peering toward the wall and the window.

"Hey," a voice whispered, "I just wanted to see you for two seconds."

"It's bad luck," she giggle, bouncing across her bed, wide awake. She had hardly been able to sleep for the excitement. "Didn't anyone tell you?"

"It's not bad luck when you're marrying your true soul mate," the voice reasoned, and she made her way to the open window, peering out and down at the most beautiful, amazing, ridiculous man in creation.

Jacob's face was split by a huge smile that stretched from ear to ear. She hadn't seen him like this in a long time, and she couldn't help her own smile from widening. His hands, big and warm, cupped her face and pulled her down for a kiss. Her lips opened easily, allowing him access, and she nearly slipped out the window. He caught her, laughing, and their tender kiss was broken. She grinned.

"You're not supposed to be here, though," she said, shaking her head and attempting to shake away the laughter, as well. "My aunts will _kill_ you. And I can't marry a corpse, Jacob," she said, making her smile coy. "How terrible would it be, I wonder, to marry someone clinically dead?"

Behind her, a long wail echoed down the hall, and Renesmee rolled her eyes.

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "I was going to ask how your parents are doing, but I guess that answers that."

"Go," she ordered, giggling, "before my dad regains the attention span greater than that of a seventeen year old boy and realizes you're here."

"I love you," he whispered, and his voice was suddenly fierce. His eyes glinted with ferocious joy. "You're marrying me today. After today, you'll be my wife."

"And you'll be my husband." She smiled, running her hands through his hair. "Now, go, before you miss your haircut."

"Don't understand why it has to be so early," he grumbled, straightening up.

"Fuck!" The scream and the growl that followed it were as loud as they were sudden, but neither of them jumped, or, for that matter, reacted. "Edward! Don't stop!"

"Because they're going to spend all day on me," Renesmee sighed, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, I wish they'd just let me do it myself."

"Not gonna happen, babe," he said, pecking her on the tip of her straight nose. "It's your day. You're supposed to get pampered."

"It's our day," she said, feeling the passion rising and bubbling into her voice. "And it will only start to matter when I see you standing in a tux, waiting to marry me."

Jacob glanced at his watch, uncharacteristically strapped to his wrist despite his cutoffs. "Fourteen hours, six minutes, and twelve seconds," he said, grinning. "I'm keeping track."

"Love you."

"You, too."

"Have a good day?"

"I will. Don't let the girls upset you too much. And just because they won't let me in the room doesn't mean you can't call me."

"Or dirty text?"

Jacob chuckled. "Dirty texts are okay. Just no pictures. I don't think I can handle it."

"Yes! Oh, God, yes!"

"Jesus, my parents." Renesmee hung her head before shaking it between straightened arms, braced against the windowpane. "Bye."

"Bye, babe."

And he was off, jogging back into the woods. She watched him go while simultaneously listening to her parents go at it down the hall. She rolled her eyes, glad for the fact that a large closet separated her from their room, muffling a tiny bit of sound.

Still, nobody wanted to hear that. Fortunately, it seemed to be coming to an end. With a grand finale of screams, growls, and moans, blessed silence enveloped the tiny cottage she still sometimes inhabited with her parents.

Rather than have a big wedding in Seattle, they were having it in the same spot her parents had wed eight years before. It was worth it, even if it meant having to live with her parents again for a week and listen to their sex lives. It certainly didn't sound like her moving out had done anything to slow them down—if anything, they were more active than ever. She'd certainly been exposed to their stares and quiet laughs and innuendos before, but this was a whole other beast. Last night, late, around eleven, her mother had been staring at her father for a solid hour while he read and Renesmee talked on the phone. She'd tried not to pay any attention to them, to her mother's unblinking, unsettling, undeniably lusty stare, while her father squirmed in his seat. Finally, after what seemed like an endless age of staring, Bella finally blinked, and her lips curled into a coy smile. Without a word, she'd risen from the loveseat and walked past him, her hips sashaying, and his open mouth.

"You know," Renesmee had said thoughtfully, watching her mother move, "mom has a really nice ass."

"Yeah," her father muttered, rising from his chair without another word and following her, hypnotized, down the hall.

A year ago, she would have yelled at them to get a room. Now, however, understanding what her mother did, she just shook her head and picked up her father's abandoned book, needing something to distract her from the noises down the hall.

A soft knock on her door pulled Renesmee back to the present, and she sniffed the air, sensing rather than seeing her father on the opposite side of the door.

"Come in, daddy," she called softly.

Sometimes, when she looked at her father, Renesmee could see the seventeen year old boy her mother so desperately loved. Right now, in gym shorts and an old Harvard t-shirt with his hair standing up, messier than ever, she didn't see her father as much as that boy. He'd been so young when he had been changed, and it showed in his face. As if he were tired, he flopped down on her bed, overflowing it with his long arms and legs. His handsome face was weary as he stared at her ceiling. She sat on the windowsill, folding her arms, and staring at him for a minute before she finally spoke.

"You know, at some point," she said, leaning away from the window, "you're going to have to get up."

"Nope." He folded his hands behind his head. "I'm not going."

"You have to." She nudged him with her foot. "You're supposed to help get that tent up."

He didn't answer, and a few moments later, soft footsteps from the hall reached her ears. The door, left ajar, opened fully, and Bella stepped in. Unspeaking, she went to lay next to her husband, snuggling up to him on the tiny bed. "Come on," she said, sticking out her bottom lip as she propped her chin on his chest. "Don't be such a sourpuss."

He mumbled something under his breath in response that Renesmee didn't catch as she darted into the closet to change as fast as she could, but her mother did. Frowning, she sat up, folding her arms. "Oh, come on," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're acting just like Charlie."

"Charlie?" Renesmee frowned, fully emerging from the closet.

"Charlie was horrible on our wedding day," she replied, a little smile pulling at her lips. "Fathers aren't always crazy about their only daughters getting married."

"Oh, for goodness sake," Renesmee scoffed. Rolling on her eyes, she sat down on the other side of the bed from her mother, leaning down to cuddle next to her father's cool body. She inhaled deeply, wrapping her fingers in his t-shirt. It was an action she had done a hundred times when she was younger, when her parents would wake her up by making a sandwich on the bed, showering her with kisses and greetings.

Now, because he appeared to need it, she repeated the action, finding that she seemed to need it, as well. Her father's lips finally twitched, a smile threatening to escape. And even though she had already said it dozens of times, she repeated the thought again in her head.

_I'm not going far, daddy,_ she reassured him, inhaling another deep breath of air filled with his honey and sunshine scent. It was a scent that would always make her feel that feeling of _home_. It was the same feeling she got walking into their house in the first days in Seattle, before she'd moved in with Jacob. It was the same as seeing her parents after a long absence, or when she was a kid, a short one while they went hunting or did other activities. _I'm still your little girl, and you know how homesick I can get._

He seemed a little placated by this, wrapping his arms tightly around her, really moving since the first time he'd plopped down five minutes ago. "I know," he whispered, his words a little muffled by her thick hair. "I just get homesick for you, too."

Renesmee smiled. _Who else would fight with you, otherwise?_

He chuckled, squeezing her for another moment before he sat both of them up and loosened his grip. "True," he said, and his golden eyes sparkled. He and her mother had hunted the night before, returning early to resume their nightly activities. At this thought, she cocked a brow at her father, remembering waking up to a loud crash from the other room.

"Ah," he said, and he looked down at his bare feet. "Well... about that..."

Renesmee burst out laughing, wishing her father were capable of a blush. He would certainly be plum by now. As it was, his eyes were low, his head of crazed hair hanging with his chin almost to his chest. He looked like the admonished child, she realized, and the irony tickled her to further laughter.

* * *

It was the longest day Jacob could remember having in a very long time. Haircuts, final fit checks and adjustments, last minute rearranging of things, showers, and more hairstyling dragged by, the seconds ticking slowly on his Rolex.

Taking a deep breath, he fixed the stupid tie that Nessie had promised he could take off for the reception and stepped back to look at himself in the mirror.

Keeping with tradition, the bride's parents had taken care of the wedding and the reception, so that meant no expenses were spared. Subsequently, the Jacob Black standing in the mirror was a different Jacob Black than any he'd ever seen. He was wearing a tuxedo over a black vest, black tie. Alice had made him grow his hair out a little so she could style it for today, and he had to admit that he liked it. It was, as Renesmee would say, the perfect length for grabbing without being shaggy. She would be happy tonight.

More than happy. Fucking over the moon.

He was marring her today. He was _marrying _her. After this, she would be tied to him in every sense of the word. His best friend, drinking buddy, partner in crime, and lover would finally become his wife. And if he was being honest, he felt like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, when the time would be right for opening gifts and celebrating.

Because the gift was the sexiest redhead alive when redheads were your only type, and she would be wrapped in a wedding dress that concealed what he was sure would be some very sexy white lingerie. And after promising in front of God and their relatives to love, cherish, and stick by him, she would come away with him to promise him in front of the two of them to love, cherish, and stick by him. He'd never had more problems holding back his arousal in his life.

Tonight, he was going to have sex with his _wife_. The word further stirred his lust.

Sighing heavily, he forced into his head the image of Rachel having sex with Paul. It killed his erection, but that was about it.

He was getting married.

A quiet knock on the door made Jacob jump, uncharacteristically. He was alone in the room, so he crossed to open the door.

"I'm sorry." Jasper's head was cocked slightly, and he wore an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. You just seemed a little..." He waved his hand, searching for a word. "Preoccupied."

"Well, yeah," he muttered, stepping back to let Jasper in. "A little."

Jasper chuckled, stepping into the guest room, a little room on the first floor Jasper and Emmett informed him was the usual holding cell during weddings. For the past two hours, Alice had not let him out, hissing and snarling at him, leaving a little fissure in a finger that, while it healed quickly, had hurt like a son of a bitch. That had been the end of his escape attempts. Half an hour ago, she'd knocked, stuck her head in, and ordered him to dress before leaving without another word.

"Alice sent me," Jasper said, and Jacob raised his brows when Jasper rolled his eyes, just a little. Jasper smiled, a little exasperated. "I'm married to her. Trust me, this is just how she gets. She still loves you."

"I was starting to think I really pissed her off," Jacob said, laughing. "She was kind of scaring me, man."

"You just have to know how to talk to her," he explained, reaching out to fix Jacob's tie. "I'm a pro." He winked, slapped Jacob's shoulders slightly and turned to go. "Fifteen minutes."

_Fifteen minutes._

The door opened, and Jacob heard Quil's voice greeting Jasper. A moment later, the door closed. "Hey, man." Quil's voice was light, relaxed.

"Hey." Croak. He sounded like he was sick or fucked up. He turned, smiling slightly for his old friend. He nodded at Quil. "You look good."

"Yeah," he said, shaking his head. "I said the same thing to Embry, and he said everybody looks good in Ralph Lauren." Quil shrugged. "I just pretended I thought it was funny. I didn't get it, I guess."

Jacob blinked. "Ralph Lauren is a clothing brand," Jacob said slowly. "Everybody knows that."

"I didn't know that." Quil folded his arms, his smile disappearing to be replaced by a scowl. "How do you know that?"

"Dude," Jacob said. "I buy clothes for work, but as far as everyday clothes go, they just show up. I'm not even positive who buys them, because they just get delivered. It's probably Alice..." He trailed off, glancing apprehensively at the door. Maybe she wasn't really pissed at him, but he didn't want to chance it. "Anyway, they're usually pretty nice and have designer tags. Very odd. I don't ask questions, though—I just wear them. And as for Embry..." Jacob trailed off, shrugging.

"No," Quil said, pointing a finger at Jacob. "He's not gay, okay? I'm not going to be the dude that lives with his gay best friend."

"I'm not saying he is," Jacob said, shrugging again, "but I'm not saying he's not."

"Just because he doesn't date or have women over," he scoffed. "I'm not gay."

"You're imprinted on a nine year old."

"Maybe Embry's waiting to imprint," Quil argued.

"Or maybe he's gay."

"Or maybe we'll never know."

"He'll die alone and single and it'll be so sad, but you and I will know the truth."

"That he wasn't gay," Quil said. "Just picky."

"Who knows," Jacob mused. "Only time will tell, I suppose."

Embry and Seth chose that moment to enter. Embry was turned to Seth, a frown on his face. "Seriously, though, you need to straighten it. It's bugging me."

"Everything has to be centered and proportional to you," Seth muttered, turning to stand next to Jacob in front of the mirror, reaching up to give his tie a tug. "I look good, anyway."

"Seth, do you know what brand of clothes you're wearing?" Quil sounded curious.

Seth raised his eyebrows. "I happen to know this is a Ralph Lauren suit," he said, his eyes mischievous. "Doesn't make me gay."

Jacob felt his cheeks flush. "Shut up."

Embry frowned. "It just means you have a lot of money and date women who take you shopping."

"And Embry's not gay," Seth explained, nudging Jacob's shoulder as he stepped away from the mirror, his tie as straight as his white teeth. He said nothing else, much to Quil's indignation. He protested as Embry turned now to Jacob.

"I'm sorry, man," Jacob said, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it, man." Embry shook his head. "No big deal."

"So one more question," Jacob said. "How does Seth know you're not gay?"

Embry just laughed before following the other two, still arguing, from the room. "Come on, Jake," he said, and his eyes twinkled with boyish humor. "You don't want to be late for your own wedding.

The next five minutes blurred by faster than the rest of the day had gone, and he was grateful for it. In what seemed like no time, he was standing in front of their little family and friends, Embry and Quil sitting in the front row, ready to say their pieces, and Seth was standing just behind him. Jacob tried breathing through his nose, but it didn't calm him any. He hadn't realized Bella was already sitting down until she smiled at him, giving him a little wave. So if she was sitting down already...

The familiar strains of the wedding march met his ears, and the thirty or so guests in attendance rose, turning, to face back to where Jacob's eyes were already trained. He vaguely registered Edward at her side, but his main attention was focused on _her_. Her dress was relatively simple, he supposed, and she wore it with a piece of jewelry he'd stared at on her for hours. It was the diamond necklace he'd gifted her a year ago, on her seventh birthday.

This year, _she_ was giving _him_ the amazing gift.

She glided toward him, he he noted that her long, beautiful hair was down, free for his eyes and fingers. She wore little makeup, and he was happy about that. He recalled Alice saying something about dark eyeliner and an up-do, and he'd voiced his displeasure at the idea before she shot him back down, arguing that up-dos were the common style for weddings. He wondered for a moment how Nessie won that argument, but then he made his way to her eyes, and forgot everything else.

He heard very little, except for her voice. He repeated his vows after the minister, but other than that, his attention was focused on her. When a tear slid down her cheek, he reached out, not hearing Quil while he read, and brushed it away with his thumb. "Baby," he whispered.

Her fingers reached up to lace through his and her thoughts melded with his. _I'm just so happy, Jake._

When she spoke her vows to him, her eyes teared a little more, and he reached out again, this time seeing the joy in her eyes, so bright it made them water. Come to think of it, he was blinking a lot more than normal.

Fucking great.

As she finished her vows, she burst out laughing at his now spastic blinks as they tried to get rid of the tears gathering in his eyes. She giggled again when his fingers shook as they slid a simple wedding band onto her finger. Then they were man and wife, and he was supposed to kiss the bride, but she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down toward her.

They were enveloped by their families as they stepped away from the altar, but his focus stayed entirely on her. Her eyes were bright, her face radiant. He'd never seen her quite this happy before, and it was absorbing. He heard voices talking to him, and he answered without ever moving his eyes, without really focusing.

And her bright eyes, liquid, swirling chocolate, gazed back at him, a little wondering. It was a look he hadn't seen since she was a kid, when he would give her some new piece of astonishing information or a present she really, _really _wanted. It made him smile that he could still put that look on her face.

"Jacob?" Bella's voice repeatedly calling his name finally broke into his consciousness.

"Yeah." He kept staring. It was impossible, with her fingers laced through his to allow her thoughts and feelings into his skin, not to.

"We have to take pictures," she said, and her voice sounded like she was smiling. "Then she's got to get changed so you can go to the reception."

"Oh." He blinked, supposing he did need to look somewhere else for a few moments. His eyes were starting to strain. He focused his attention on the yard around them. They'd made their way to the porch, and Alice was chirping away at Garrett, who was donating his photography services for the day. The sun was low in the sky now, breaking through the clouds enough to hint that the sunset was going to be beautiful. The light came from behind enough to make her hair look aflame. He kept staring glances at her as Garrett brought forward a stool, instructing Renesmee to have a seat, and for Jacob to stand behind her. They posed at his request, although it was difficult to let his hands rest only on her shoulders, chastely at her hips, or around her waist.

"Okay," Garrett said, finally, after about twenty minutes. "Last one." Jacob bit back a sigh, but he smiled at Garrett's final request. "Whatever you want. Last one's yours."

Renesmee had been standing at his side, and she turned to him in a flash and leaped up, wrapping her arms and legs around him. She didn't kiss him, though, she just clung to him, burying her face in his chest, and he realized why after a second.

"Oh, honey," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her to support her. He pressed a kiss into her wild curls, trying to soothe away her tears. There was a series of rapid flashes of light that were easily ignored as he whispered in her ear, how much he loved her, how beautiful she looked. Her fingers wrapped around his jacket, clutching him closer.

Ignoring everyone, he turned them to go back inside. He knew she was wearing a different dress for the reception, because a long gown wasn't practical, Alice had declared, for a beach reception. That dress was upstairs in the room that had once belonged to her father, and he took her there, sitting down on the black leather couch. She was shaking like a leaf, and he got a little worried for the first time. "Baby?" he whispered, pulling back slightly. "You okay?"

He had just glimpsed her face, seen her eyes, and seen that she wasn't upset. Her fingers left his back to curl into his hair, pulling him back toward her, this time directing his lips to hers. He went willingly, realizing that she was now more or less straddling him. It would be so easy to let his hands slide up under the soft white material, to feel her there...

But her family were all downstairs, he remembered, and he kind of wanted to wait and let it build, until they both exploded and were completely uninhibited.

She pouted at him, predictably, when he pulled away from her. "Later," he promised, giving her a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I'm not even going to help you unzip," he decided, standing them up and putting her on her feet. Her mouth fell open a little and she made a little noise of indignation. "If I help you unzip, I'll help you out of your dress." He gave her a once-over that made her face turn bright red. "And if I help you out of that dress, I'll be helping you into bed and we'll miss our reception."

"So?" She resituated herself on his lap so she was pressed against his erection more fully. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not bad," he said, grinning and doing his best to slide out from under her, "just rude."

"Let's be rude."

He laughed as a knock sounded on the door, standing up and leaving her on her knees on the couch with a scowl on her face. He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers again, chastely this time. "Later," he promised. He pressed his forehead to hers as she turned to sit. "And I promise, I'll make it worth your wait."

Another knock, this one more insistent than the first, sounded behind him, and he crossed the room to open the door. Alice stood on the other side, a frown on her face. "Could you possibly move any slower?" she asked, before darting behind him to push him out. "God! Hurry up, I have to get her dressed!" Then the door slammed, and he stood in the hall, alone.

Getting to the reception proved tricky. She wore a knee length white satin and taffeta dress that showed off her generous cleavage, making it hard for him to keep his hands to himself. The only thing that made it possible was the fact that he was driving.

By the time they reached the beach, the sun was setting enough to allow a family of vampires to roam the beach unexposed. It was the first time this many of the Cullens had set foot on Quileute territory since the treaty had formed, but no one seemed too upset. In the past ten years, the tribe had gotten a good look at vampires other than the Cullens and their cousins, and now, as Seth put it, the harmless-to-humans neighbors were the least of their concerns.

He walked around the car to open the door for his wife, and felt his face split into an ear-to-ear grin. Renesmee cocked her head, staring up at him, as he helped her out of the car. "What?"

"You're my wife," he said, feeling and hearing the gruffness of his voice. Her eyes darkened a little, and he kissed her again, pressing her against the side of the Camaro, bowing her back slightly. She whimpered a little as he pulled from her, unable to show her or tell her or make her understand exactly how he felt right now.

It was a feeling like some kind of magnetic puzzle pulling together, all the opposite poles working together to make it complete. Like the sun was exploding into fireworks. Like the greatest roller coaster ever.

It was like...

_Moonlight filtered in through the open window, illuminating the light sheen of sweat coming off her skin. She felt little of the heat of the July night and more of the heat their bodies made, moving languidly on the dark sheets. His eyes were glued to her face as her eyes closed and she bit down on her bottom lip, moaning softly. He kept up his steady motions, back and forth, in and out, slowly working her toward the edge. Her voice was soft, breathy, when she whispered his name, told him she loved him..._

_Young and inexperienced, but all over it, he decided, was the best way to describe them. They'd only done this a few times, but it was amazing every time. Right now, he was sitting on the armchair in his room at Quil and Embry's. He'd come home an hour ago to find her in his room, wearing one of his dress shirts and nothing else. She still wore the dress shirt, but he was out of all of his clothes, relaxing, while she rode him luxuriously. They took their time, their movements slow, but very deep. He grinned up at her. Her hair was a mess..._

_The radio was still cranked up, having been doing an excellent job at motivating him to finish his latest project. He'd been interrupted, though, by his girlfriend. She wore a skirt that was easily pushed up and out of the way after he'd hoisted her onto the hood of the car. He'd torn her shirt, and would probably need to give her his, but that wasn't what he was concerned about now. He slammed into her in short, rapid thrusts, needing to get something out of his system..._

_The rain brought the evening early, like it did back home. Soon, that pitter-patter would be commonplace again, and he was grateful for this. It was getting very difficult to sleep, and with everything familiar again, he would probably have an easier time. For the moment, though, he refocused his attention on the screen, watching the romantic escapades of a designer and a composer for a moment, before burying his face in Renesmee's thick, fragrant hair and peppering her ear with kisses. She giggled, keeping her eyes on the screen, and between the sound of her laughter and the sound of the rain, he felt at home in Edward's hometown for the first time..._

It was like everything, rolled into one overwhelming feeling.

"I love you so much," he whispered, cupping her cheek in his hand. "You have no idea."

"I may have a bit of an idea." Her full lips quirked a little, and she reached down to lace her fingers through his. "Okay, remember, stick to the plan. The busier we are, the faster this thing goes." Her eyes twinkled. "And the faster I can get you out of that tux and you can see my ironically virgin white underwear."

"Fast," he repeated. "Come on."

They danced. They twirled. They talked to every person, and he kept a beer in his hand to her glass of wine. Side by side, they tackled the cutting of the cake, the stupid dollar dance, which meant her uncles slipping in hundreds and fifties, and all the damned speeches. They toasted and were toasted, and found time, while everyone else was dancing to that stupid "Friday" song, to make out for a few minutes.

By the time it was over, her shoes were off and she was up to her ankles in the gentle waves that brushed the shore, dancing to the music only she could hear. Some of their guests had left, but a few remained—her parents; Rachel sans Paul, who had been sent home to take care of the kids; and Alice, who was chatting with Seth about upcoming trends in technology while Jasper played with Seth's new phone, which was not yet on the market.

"Baby?" Jacob followed her as best he could. His shoes were still on, and he didn't want to ruin them. "I think we can go now."

"Yeah?" She squinted up the beach to her parents. "Okay, but can we just run back to the cabin? It would be so much less of a pain in the ass."

"It would be rude."

"It's my wedding," she said, grinning as she danced back to him, taking his hand and pulling him toward the woods. "No one would dare call the bride rude."

A few months back, with some money he'd made from selling some old stock of Billy's, Jacob had purchased a little cabin in the woods that he rented out to fishermen and hikers, on advice from Esme. It had turned out to be fairly lucrative, but tonight, it would serve a different purpose. It was by no means extravagant or luxurious, but she was going to get that on their actual honeymoon, which would be spent in Jamaica.

Tonight was about two things—sleep and sex. Not necessarily in that order.

She beat him there, of course, and he found her standing in the door with her head cocked.

"Wow, Jake," she said, and there was a smile on her lips. "Planning to have some nicer clientele here soon?" She gestured at the brand new bed, rug, and furniture, which included an arm chair and a small table with two chairs. It was rustic, but still very upscale.

"Esme said good decor is a good investment," he recited.

Renesmee's lips curled into a more devilish smirk. "Well, I like it." She made her way to the bed, sitting down on the red comforter. "It's very 'Jacob.'"

"Really." He stepped inside, closing the door. He didn't bother with the locks—nothing would disturb them tonight. Nothing would dare. "How so?"

"It's very rustic, but very sexy. Like you."

"You think I'm rustic?"

"Compared to most people I've met," she responded. "I like it."

He loosened his tie, stepping closer to her. "I'm glad," he said, finally getting the damned thing off and tossing it carelessly onto the floor. His jacket followed, leaving him in a vest and shirt. She got up on her knees as he stood in front of her, her long fingers going to work on the buttons of the vest. "I hate wearing a suit," he muttered.

Her lips curled into a smile. "I don't understand why men hate to get all dressed up," she mused, sliding his vest off and down onto the floor. Her hands were hot through the thin shirt. "You look so sexy, and then, at the end of the night, I get to take it off." Finished with the buttons on the shirt, she pushed that off, too, and he felt his breath quicken just a little as she let her hands run down his bare chest. All of her attention was focused on him, and he stepped back a little when she gave him a gentle shove, giving her just enough room to slip off of the bed and onto the floor. The belt was the next thing to go, easily loosened and yanked through the belt loops. "Plus," she continued, and it was a struggle to pay attention to her words, "it's the only time you wear enough clothes to make it really easy to tease you." She giggled a little, sliding the button through the hole to undo his slacks.

"That's not very nice," he mumbled. But it was very nice. Without another word, she shoved his pants down, leaving him in the tight boxer briefs that were the only thing keeping his erection at bay. As it was, it was still clearly visible, just painfully restrained. She relieved his tension by tugging them down, her eyes darkening a little when she could finally see him. He stepped out of his boxers, kicking off his socks while he watched her lick her lips in what could only be anticipation. As soon as he was still, she reached back, running her hands up and down the backs of his legs and sticking out her tongue to lick just the tip of him. He groaned, his head falling back for half a second before swinging forward again when her mouth suddenly enveloped him completely.

His eyes focused to see his wife on her knees on his floor in a white dress, big brown eyes staring up at him, wide and deceptively innocent.

He wasn't going to last a minute.

Sure enough, a minute later, he was panting like a teenager after his first lay while she sat back on her heals, licking her lips and smiling devilishly. For Christ's sake, he'd lasted longer than this the first time they'd had sex. Still panting slightly, he lifted her up and tossed her on the bed. She squealed, kicking her feet limply. Her skin was peaches and cream against the dark red comforter, and he took his time removing the delicate dress. He managed to toss it over the arm of the chair and she smiled up at him.

"Thanks," she said. "I really didn't want to ruin that dress. It's pretty."

He didn't answer her. To be honest, he didn't even really hear her.

She was dressed relatively simply, and he'd certainly seen her in less. She wasn't even wearing a thong, or some crazy underwear. She wore simple white briefs with little decorative flowers at the hip. The material was nearly sheer, and he could see the dark patch it hit. Her bra was floral and sheer, making just visible her pink nipples.

And on her left hand, the plain silver band glinted in the dim light. It matched his, and he reached down to lace his fingers through hers, pressing his lips against hers. He peppered kisses on her lips before making his way to her cheeks, ears, neck, and ending at the tip of her nose. She giggled.

"Do you like it?" she asked, squirming a big.

"Very much." He slid his fingers under a bra strap.

"I bough it in all three colors," she said, looking proud of herself as she gazed up into his eyes. He was already lost in hers. They didn't say anything for a while. He just brushed back her hair, stroking it softly while he stared down at her. He was sure, when he looked deep enough, that he saw her soul. It was beautiful. _She_ was beautiful.

"I adore you," he said abruptly after the long silence.

She blinked, her expression shifting to one of confusion. "What?"

He was in wonder. It _was_ her soul, full of humor and life and everything he wanted and things he didn't know he needed yet. It was everything that had happened and everything that would, and everything would be amazing, because her soul was so beautiful.

He repeated himself. "I adore you."

A little smile crept across her face slowly. She looked up at him again, this time, her eyes drilling into his. "I will never love anyone how I love you," she vowed.

Their next kiss quickly turned heated, and he slid his hands under her and held her to his chest so he could roll them so he was on his back. One hand stayed in her hair, twining his fingers in it while he kissed her, while the other made its way to the back clasp on her bra. A flick of his fingers and it was undone. She pulled her lips away from his, gasping as she pushed herself upright. Her knees had settled on either side of his hips, and she brought her arms forward to slide her bra down. He helped her, pulling it down and casting it aside with much less respect than he'd shown her dress. Now that they were exposed, her nipples required his full attention, and he laved his tongue across them, hearing her moans and soft cries.

_Soft_ would not do. There was no one here, no one within miles to hear them. He wanted her screaming.

A little more roughly than he'd intended, he pulled her nipple between his teeth. She seemed to like it, though, because she wrapped her fingers in his hair and shrieked with delight.

Much better.

Sitting up a bit more fully, he pulled his legs out from under her, kneeling between her spread legs. She laughed when he pulled her panties off with his teeth, tickling the soft flesh on the inside of her thighs with his hair as he went. The sound filled the little cabin, caressing his ears. Her laughter turned to sighs when he slid back up between her legs, tossing her underwear to the side. She was already wet, and he lapped up the moisture that had spilled onto her thighs, not wanting to waste any of it. Her groans and cries met his ears and he watched her face contort with pleasure. He took his time, teasing her a little with his slow pace. She growled and hissed and begged, and he finally obliged, making his way back up to her.

He pulled her up so she could straddle him as he knelt, sitting back on his heals and easily tugging her arms behind his head so she could hold on. She was grinning when her face came level with his, and she rose up slightly so she could get settled on top of him. He reached down, holding himself at her entrance so she could lower herself onto him. They each breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief when they connected, and he wrapped her hair around his fingers, burying her face in her neck. Fingers locked around her hips, Jacob's hands moved with her as she thrust and bounced on top of him. Against his chest, her soft breasts rubbed against him as she moved, and she moaned deeply when he reached up to toy with one hard nipple.

The feeling of her sharp fingernails brushing against the hot skin of his back made him shudder a little with pleasure, and he groaned when the slid all the way from his ass to the nape of his neck, where they settled, her palms flat against his skin. She had no words for how she felt right now, only feelings and pictures. He was happy to see that she was close, especially since he wasn't anywhere near ready to blow yet. Letting go of her, he used his other hand to stroke her clit, and she came, screaming so loudly he was surprised she didn't shatter the windows.

It was fucking awesome.

* * *

It was _hot_. Literally, and figuratively.

Rain hammered the roof outside, and their breath and body heat brought a distinct fog to the windows against the cool of the outside air. They'd been going for hours now, nonstop, in various positions and a variety of spaces. He'd made love to her first, on the big bed, but after that, all bets were off. Her husband was an animal, unable to satiate himself, and there wasn't much in the world more satisfying than that. Their libidos never slowed, and the energetic sex-fest that had ensued left them, the bed, and the rug drenched in sweat.

The fire that had been already lit upon their arrival had died down to embers, and now, as he knelt on the floor with her bent backward over an ottoman, she propped herself up on her hands so she could see him again.

His chiseled chest and abdomen were glistening in the dim light, beads of sweat occasionally dripping down to mix with hers. She was sure she'd never sweat so much in her life, but he seemed to like it. Lubricated inside and out now, they moved quickly, skin slapping wetly together.

They had long since stopped speaking. The only other sounds were their grunts, groans, moans, growls, purrs, and hisses. The only occasional words uttered were single word requests—short praises.

"There."

"Faster."

"Please..."

"Jesus."

"Please..."

Who said what, she wasn't sure.

She didn't care—not really. All she really wanted, all she needed, was him. He was hers now, forever, and she was his. They were each others everything.

For the rest of time, she would be the only woman who could give him what he needed, and take what he had to give. She would be the one to make him laugh, smile, furious, happy, crazy, insatiable.

Like now—crazed and insatiable, and she loved every minute of it.

Grunting now, he thrust into her over and over, making the ottoman scoot along the floor. He moved with her on his knees for a minute before he pulled her off, onto her back on the floor. He leaned over her, barely hovering, and she pulled him down so his full weight collapsed onto her chest. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent once again, memorizing him for the thousandth time. He thrust into her wildly, and she suspected he was about to finish. She gasped, her mouth hanging open as he brought one hand up to her breast, giving her nipple one little tug...

She had long since lost track of how many times she came, because once she started, it had been hard to stop. Her body had remained sensitive, and she'd gone over and over, again and again. This last time, though, was different, because he went with her. The feeling of taking him so deeply into her was overpowering, and she gave a long, keening moan as he groaned his pleasure into her neck.

They stayed that way, immobile, for a while. Somehow, he managed to stand up and walk to the bed carrying her, without his body leaving hers. He lay down over her again, this time shoving himself up on his elbows. He nuzzled her forehead and she smiled lazily.

"Mmmm," he hummed. "Hi."

"Hello." She blinked at him. "That was amazing."

"Yeah?" A grin split his glistening face. "You have yourself to thank for that."

"What do you mean?"

"I would have come a lot faster if it wasn't for that first one," he grinned. "It's almost like you like giving head." His voice was teasing. He knew she did.

She didn't have the energy to answer. She suddenly felt exhausted. "It's nice," she mumbled, reaching up to push his hair out of his face. "You need a haircut." Her voice sounded mushy to her own ears.

He chuckled. "You're worn out, baby," he murmured. "Go to sleep."

Her eyes were already closing of their own accord. "Okay." Sleep sounded good.

"You need your rest," he said softly, and she could hear the smile in his voice. Were here eyes all the way closed already? She couldn't get them to open. "You need it. Because I'm going to want you again in the middle of the night."

"Sounds good," she mumbled, then sleep took her away to dreams about her husband.

_a/n Holy schnikes! This took a lot longer than I thought it would, and I apologize. Lots of craziness going on here, so that didn't help things at all. It's been, "When can I steal five minutes?" Then it was, "Okay, I have time, time to make it longer." Hence the extra lemoniness. Hope you enjoyed—this was one of two "only" stories in this saga. Or two, as of now. We shall see..._

_Review!  
_


	29. Love

_a/n I'm back! This is another one I've wanted to do for a while, but needed to develop into. This falls in the month between "Date" and "Touching." Hope you enjoy—no superlemons, just those hot teenage kisses that make you and what tends to follow… which could be a little limey._

_One of my brief explanations: I'm sure, at some point during her childhood, there were "I love yous," but they were not the same kind of "I love you" as this one. So this is the first one where it means something entirely different. Enjoy!_

_**LOVE**_

One more thing to love about his girl—she wasn't above old movies.

So tonight, on another rainy Chicago night, they stayed in rather than going out. He managed to make her a meal of chicken alfredo that was edible. She brought over _Rear Window_, one of her favorite Hitchcock movies, and now her fingers were wound into his shirt while she watched the screen intently, despite the fact that she knew Jimmy Stewart's neighbor was going to walk out of his apartment any second.

"You never get tired of these movies, do you?" he mused, reaching down to toy with one of her curls. It felt so _right_ to finally be able to play with her hair, kiss her, hold her hand.

But that was it. He was drawing a line, everyday, trying to make the line thicker until it was a fence.

She seemed content to try to take a sledge hammer, though, to his fence.

Like now. One hand was still wound in his shirt, but her other hand was sliding from his knee, up a bit, subtle as an air horn. He shifted slightly so his legs were crossed, and she frowned, saying nothing. Reaching down, he laced his fingers through hers, smiling slightly at her before returning his gaze to the screen.

It wasn't long before a pair of warm lips landed on his neck, and his eyes drifted closed. This, he decided, should never be stopped, and he brought his hand back up to dig his fingers into her hair. He could feel himself stirring as her lips parted a little, her warm breath fanning across his neck. He hoped she wouldn't notice.

Her arms slid around his shoulders, and before he knew it, she was straddling his lap, her hot, full lips pressed against his. He moaned a little, drowning in her scent, and kissed her back, letting his arms slide around her waist. Her tongue brushed against his lower lip, and he opened for her, letting his tongue mingle with hers. Where she had learned how to kiss, he had no idea—reading, watching TV, whatever.

What mattered was the way his stomach still flipped when he kissed her, despite the many kisses they'd shared since the first one he'd initiated.

For a while, he was lost, sunk into his couch with the most beautiful girl in the world on top of him, kissing him hotly, twining her fingers in his hair and tugging slightly. The gentle pull made him groan again, and this time, he was sure she could feel his erection. Renesmee rocked her hips slightly, and with great effort, he pulled his lips from hers. He gasped for air, trying to clear his head and stop her without hurting her feelings. Before he could say anything, though, her lips used their freedom to make a trip down his jaw to his neck, pulling his flesh between her lips and licking softly. From head to toe, Jacob's entire body shuddered, and he forced his hands out of her hair and down to her shoulders. She stiffened slightly, recognizing the motion, and before he could begin to gently shove her back, she had resumed her original spot of the evening, on the other end of the sofa. She moved with vampire speed, and he could hear a very vampire-like growl in the back of her throat. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up automatically, and he frowned at her.

"Don't get mad at me," he muttered, reaching forward for her empty glass and his half empty beer, standing up and making his way to the kitchen. He drained his beer on the trip and tossed it into the recycling bin before grabbing a new one. Carefully, trying not to break it in his shaking hands, he placed her glass on the countertop, opened his beer, and raised his eyes to gaze through the kitchen doorway at her.

Her brown eyes were fixed on a spot on the ceiling rather than the TV. Her jaw would move every so often, and he smiled despite himself. He hadn't made her cry this time, just pissed off. The grinding of her teeth, a habit she'd picked up from time spent around her often over-anxious father, was a big red flag. Her unblinking stare, which was really only missing lasers or bullets or some kind of killing device, was another. Knowing if he looked at her fists, he would find them bunched up, he shook his head slightly, putting his beer on the counter before turning back to the refrigerator. He rooted around for a minute before finding a bottle of her favorite Reisling, stashed in the back where she couldn't see it and get into it. He twisted open the corkless blue bottle and let it air out a bit while he reached for a glass. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of her in the living room. She hadn't moved yet.

When he entered the living room again a minute later, walking behind her on the pretense of not blocking her view, she didn't look at him as he sat down. Her eyes only moved when he placed his peace offering in front of her. She glanced at the wine, then her eyes moved to the television again.

"Thank you," she said stiffly, making no move to reach for the glass.

"No problem, babe," he said, grinning at her and leaning back in his seat, tossing one arm over the back of the couch. Taking a long drink, he watched her out of the corner of his eye.

It was hard to fight back the smile that threatened his game. Her eyes had softened from their smoky quartz to their usual molten chocolate, and they darted back and forth from Grace Kelly's seduction attempt to the wine on the table in front of her. Leaning forward again, he gave the glass a little nudge in her direction, still trying not to smile. She rolled her eyes at him and leaned forward, picking up her glass and taking a sip.

"Thanks," she said again, sarcasm coloring her tone. "I don't know why you're getting me drunk, though. Not like you're going to try anything with me."

Jacob heaved a sigh, and knew he was not yet forgiven. That was fine, though. He could work with this. He'd already gotten her to talk to him again, and it had taken all of five minutes.

"Can we please just not have this conversation again?" she said, cutting him off as he started to speak. "I get it. 'You're not ready, da blah de blah blah,'" she said, putting air quotes around her words. "I get it."

"Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "If you get it, why do you keep trying?"

"Because eventually, you're going to crack," she informed him, taking another sip of her wine and retraining her eyes on the TV.

Jacob took a deep breath, and really looked at her. She looked for all the world now a woman, easily eighteen and lovelier than ever. Her clothing style had changed since the summer, and she was dressed for fall now. Somehow, in a long black sweater and gray leggings, she looked more beautiful than ever before, if such a thing were even possible. Her hair was half pulled back, restrained by a little clip that didn't stand a chance in hell at containing everything she'd intended it to. Little wisps of copper curls were loose here and there, and they framed her face. They did nothing to hide the lovely flush in her cheeks that came with her irritation.

Her body was changing again, too, almost as if it were adapting to him. Her hips had flared a little in the last few weeks, and her breasts, while not growing in size as much as they once had, seemed a little softer than they had a year ago. Her teenage figure was rapidly disappearing before his eyes while he watched her turn into a woman.

And it was a lot harder to resist her than it had been when they'd first come to Chicago.

"You're right," he reasoned, and he watched her brows rise in surprise. "But this isn't a game, kid. It's your life."

"Don't call me kid," she shot back, her posture becoming a little defensive. "I'm not a child, Jacob."

He burst out laughing, and she finally turned her head. The look on her face was priceless—a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "I'm sorry," he gasped. He tried to sober himself, but the smile wouldn't leave his face. It should have been easy—she was glaring at him now like she'd glared at the wall moments before—but it wasn't. "It's not that funny, really. It's just really ironic."

"What's ironic?" The annoyance in Renesmee's eyes faded a little.

"I was just thinking that you were right because you're not a kid anymore," he said. "Maybe it is a little funny that you think you need to tell me that, because you really don't, but that's not the point." He put his drink down and scooted closer to her. Her eyes dropped to her lap, hidden under her long lashes. "_You_ know what's eventually going to happen, and _I_ know what's eventually going to happen, so why do you feel like you need to rush it?" Her lips pouted a little, and he had to work to resist capturing that bottom lip between his. "What's wrong with just taking it easy? Am I really that bad of a kisser?"

The corners of her lips tried to curl a little, and she valiantly tried to keep them down. It was an adorable expression. "No," she said, and her voice was very soft—maybe a little shy. Her cheeks flared a little brighter.

"I love you," he said, not quite registering what he'd just said. "I would never do anything to hurt you. I just want you to be happy. I know how corny that sounds, but it's true." Her face had entirely turned up to his now, and her eyes were wide. He frowned. "What?"

"You just…" She started to say something, then she trailed off. Her eyes lowered again and he watched as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She seemed to be trying very hard to think about something. "I…" She cut off again, and now he could see her brows furrowing. She huffed frustratedly, before opening and closing her mouth one more time.

"Hey," he said, reaching back to rest his hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair softly. "What's wrong?"

She gazed up at him again, and her eyes were very bright. An exasperated laugh and matching smile escaped her, and she shook her head. "I still suck with words sometimes," she said. She held out her hands in silent question. He twined his fingers with hers and brought her hands to his face, relishing in their warmth.

The pictures started immediately. She might not have the words, but her thoughts were in order and perfectly clear. After six years, she'd comparatively perfected her gift, but she advanced with it everyday. He saw easily now what was on her mind.

…A young Renesmee sitting on his knee while he fiddled with some new gadget her father had given her for Christmas. He remembered this—it was a few days after the holiday and she was just getting around to using all her presents. One year old and looking five, she was wearing the blue and white checkered jumper Rosalie had given her, and the matching bedazzled red shoes. She looked like a tiny red-haired Dorothy, especially with the huge bow on her head. He was telling her how pretty she looked as he handed her back the toy. Then he put her down, and encouraged her to try out her new toy. She smiled and said thank you. She was telling him she loved him, and he responded in kind, a small smile on his face…

…She was probably three or four. He recognized the Minnesota lodge at once. She was frustrated, an Algebra book in front of her, while she explained to him that this was the stupidest thing she'd ever had to do. She knew the material and she was bored. He'd burst out laughing and said, "Love you, kid…"

_I loved you then._

Jacob blinked. That wasn't a memory.

…Forks, this time. Last summer, right before they'd found out Rachel was pregnant. He watched, from her perspective, as he changed the oil in her dad's old car. He was just finishing, pulling away the can and reaching to close the hood. His face was lined, strained from her over affections and the stress of trying to care for an ailing father from two thousand miles away. She'd smiled at him, calling him her hero. He'd forced a smile in return, patting her shoulder awkwardly and saying, "Any time, kiddo." He didn't say, "I love you…"

_I still loved you, then._

He understood now.

"You know I love you," he said, rolling his eyes.

"I know," she said, her voice very soft. "You just haven't said so in a long time, and you _never_ said it like that." Her eyes were still very wide, like a doe's. They were so beautiful.

"In my defense," he responded, smiling as he pulled her close to his side, "you didn't say it, either. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea when you were starting to…" He paused, trying to find the right words, finally finishing with "…change your mind about me."

"You're smarter than me," she said, smiling slightly. "I don't give you enough credit."

"You know, we did once decide that I'm actually older than your mom," he said, watching her face soften further into a delighted smile. "I had more skills than she did, so I ended up in my thirties."

"How old _were_ you?"

"Sixteen."

She laughed again, relaxing into his side. "Age _is_ just a number, after all," she said, her face still split in a smile.

"Thank God for that," he mumbled, squeezing her shoulder a little when she burrowed deeper into his side, "or else this would be really bad."

"Hmm." She inhaled deeply, and her breath was scorching against his side when it came back out. "Very good thing."

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The big house was empty when she arrived home, tossing her keys onto the side table that hadn't moved in over a hundred years, she was sure. Her father had changed very little of his childhood home since it had come into his possession, and as a result, she slept on a different mattress on the same old frame he'd once slept on as a boy. She collapsed onto it, staring up at the ceiling.

Her stomach was still fluttering from being with Jacob. He was right—she knew he loved her. Still, though, it was nice to hear it again, especially since the meaning had so drastically changed in the past few years. She sighed softly, remembering the hot kisses they'd shared on the couch, and the feeling of triumph when she'd felt him react. She wondered, not for the first time, what his hands would feel like when they finally decided to leave the safety of her hair. They were so warm and big, and when his kisses made her dizzy, they were steady and strong on her back.

And what would his lips feel like, she wondered? On the rare occasions they left hers to tease the skin of her neck, it just seemed unfair that he wouldn't kiss her anywhere her clothes covered. Surely they would feel as soft when they made their way lower…

And now, she was horny. Wonderful. The unfair son of a bitch did this to her all the time. She'd enter his apartment, determined to behave, and leave, mischievous and aroused. He was terrible.

To be angry, though, was to be hypocritical. She felt another rush of arousal when she thought that he was probably sitting at home as bothered as she was, but not debating what to do about it. Her cheeks flushed, despite being alone.

She was sure Jacob touched himself, like she did. He'd never really come right out and said it to her before, but he'd alluded to it on more than one occasion. And it didn't sound, from conversations she'd overheard between him and Seth, that it was a rare occurrence. On the contrary—it made her feel a little bad how often it seemed he needed to do it.

In the silence and privacy of her empty room in the empty house, she could admit that she wasn't ready for sex yet. She hated to admit it, even to herself, when it was something she so desperately wanted, but the idea of having sex with Jacob was a little scary. If he walked in right now, stripped down, and took her, she'd have no idea what the hell she was doing. It would probably be terrible. For heaven's sake, she still got a little scared-nervous feeling when she felt his erection. Arousal first, then those nerves.

But when they did…

Her mind drifted back to the first time he'd danced with her. She'd been wearing the bikini she now realized was truly obscene (in all honesty, she should have been embarrassed to wear it in public) and his hands had been hot on her bare back. It had felt so natural to be in his arms then, just like it had been the first time he kissed her. Maybe it would be like that.

It didn't take her long, once her fingers had made their way under the waistband of the pajama pants she'd changed into, to find release. The idea of his lips actually leaving her neck to maybe lick her nipples proved too much for her to comprehend, and she cried out into her pillow, rutting against her fingers. It felt a little empty, and she knew her body craved his.

Soon, she decided. Soon, she would have more than her own fingers to make her come. But until then, love and kisses would be enough.

_a/n Yay! Not sure what's next, but I promise to make it good. And sexy. Good and sexy. You like that? Yeah? You want more? Good for you. Review!_

_And since I'm having a hard time working in how to explain that Embry really isn't gay, check the outtakes periodically. A new one will be up soon._


	30. Haircut

_a/n I'm blanking on who suggested this one, but I loved it. See, guys? This is what happens when you plant seeds in my head. You wait for the seed to grow into a plant, and then I fuck the plant!_

_That's a "40 Yr Old Virgin" reference. I'm not that funny._

_New outtake going up today. It's more of a sideshot, really-if you want to know how Seth knows Embry's not gay, read it!  
_

_Warning: Rated M for motorboats and more. This is set for Renesmee at around age 15, in Princeton, about three and a half years after "Drive-In."_

_**HAIRCUT**_

"So what happens when I fuck up?"

"Seriously, babe, if you don't want to, why'd you even bring it up?"

"Because I just think that, as your wife, it's something I should be able to do. And I'm sure it's on a list somewhere of 'shit you need to know how to do before you think about having kids.'"

"Yeah, right under not saying 'shit' and 'fuck' as much."

"Shut your fucking mouth, you piece of shit asshat."

"Cunt."

"Not fair." From across the room, his wife pouted at him. "There's no good comeback for 'cunt.'"

"I know." Jacob picked up another piece of fried chicken and took a bite, content that he had won momentarily, until something better than "cunt" came to her mind.

"Seriously, though, if I really fuck it up and we have to shave you, will you still love me?" Her wide Bambi eyes were imploring and serious. "Because if I fuck up, you'd probably have to shave it off."

Jacob snorted. "That sounds so bad. 'Will you still love me if I shave you?'" he teased. Then he winked. "I shave you sometimes and it seems to make you love me more."

"Shut up." She blushed, refocusing her attention on the TV, which was showing _Joyeux Noel_. "That's private."

He waved a drumstick at the empty living room. "Nobody's home."

Since moving in with her family, they'd had to learn to censor the things they said in polite company. This only continued because Jacob was unable to convince her than nobody really cared, and that she should hear the things he's heard come out of Emmett's mouth.

"Still," she said, shaking her head. "Some things are better left unsaid."

"I think you like it because I get right up between your legs and—"

"Jacob!" Her eyes were huge and focused on the TV, but her face was magenta. "Stop it!"

"—lick your _cunt_," he threw at her, and burst out laughing.

"Oh, my God!" She buried her face in her hands.

"It's just me," he laughed, throwing out his hands. "Come on."

It was one of those not-so-rare nights in the Cullen house when the residents who required no sleep disappeared for a few hours for hunting and other activities, leaving the house empty for Jacob and Renesmee's own activities. Sometimes they hung out and watched old movies; other night, she worked on her homework for nursing school; and every night, he took her to their bed in their wonderfully soundproofed attic apartment and made her make noises that could put the rest of the women in her family to shame.

Tonight, she wanted to cut his hair. She was wearing a pair of leggings under one of his seldom-worn button up shirts, and it went clear down to her knees. The sleeves were rolled up a little, and the top few buttons were open. She wore nothing underneath, and his eyes were distracted by the peaks of her nipples, just visible through the cotton.

"Jacob!"

"Huh?"

His wife was staring at him expectantly, and then she rolled her eyes. "I swear," she mumbled, forking out some more mashed potatoes, "you're such a boy."

"Sorry."

"I asked how you wanted your hair cut."

"I'd kind of like it if you shaved it," he teased. "I think it would turn me on."

"Oh, shut up." She stood up from her chair, tucking her empty glass between her arm and her body and held out her free hand for his now empty plate. "You done?"

"Yep." He grinned at her, handing her his plate and patting his stomach. "Very good, baby."

"I worked so hard," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I had to wait five whole minutes in the drive thru of KFC."

"And I appreciate that labor of love, honey." He winked at her, and she nudged him with her hip as she passed him.

Maybe it was an odd time to think of it, but Jacob happened to think at that moment that he'd never been happier than he was now. Seven years in, the only itch he was feeling was an itch to get those leggings off his wife—he was sure she wasn't wearing underwear—and into her waiting body. Far from wearing off, he kept finding new things that were sexy. She had developed beyond the bitchy teenager and angry young woman to a dedicated Ivy League student, bent on becoming the best nurse she could be so she could stand at her grandfather's side one day and help him save lives, rather than take them. Feeling that it was unfair to bring a child into a situation where so much of her time was devoted to school and her husband, motherhood was the last thing on her mind. Later, she said, when they were more settled. He'd laughed when she'd said, maybe around when she was thirty.

"Why is that funny?" she'd asked.

"Because that's what a lot of women say," he'd responded, wrapping an arm around her naked waist. "It just seems ironic that you'd pick the normal age to have kids when you never picked the normal age to do anything else."

That had been two years ago. She hadn't changed her mind. Had to be a new record.

She wandered back into the living room, hair shears in hand and a nervous look on her face. "So, should we go in the bathroom, or the kitchen?"

"Bathroom." He wanted her as close to their bed as possible, and the kitchen was about as far away as you could get.

"'kay," she said, and she snipped the scissors in the air at him. "Do you still have that razor if I need to shave you?"

Jacob snorted. This was going to be interesting.

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Every once in a while, she would catch herself saying or thinking one of her father's dated sayings. Tonight was one of those instances, when she told herself she was making a mountain out of a molehill. It was a dumb expression, but really accurate.

Because hair cutting, while it required a bit of finesse, was _easy_.

She was sure if she were completely human, it would be more difficult. Steady hands were important, as well as a good eye. The half of her that came from her father made it simple to still her hands and focus carefully on cutting just the right blades in just the right way. A small smirk crossed her face as she worked her way down and around his head, snipping here and slashing there. He was going to look good, just as good as if her grandmother had done it, or if he'd gone to a barber.

The half vampire side also had the ability to have multiple points of focus, so she also smiled for the lustful gazes her husband was giving her chest every time she came around front. She'd worn this shirt on purpose. After a pointless day at school and a miserable drive home through slushy snow, she was so happy to get home that afternoon, she had put on the first thing her hands touched. Jacob had left out one of his black dress shirts, the kind that had buttons all down the front and fit her like a house dress. She'd buried her face in it before stripping out of all her clothes and taking the shirt and a pair of leggings hanging off the back of a chair into the bathroom. She'd showered, imagining Jacob was home with her now, arms around her and lips at her ear. When she'd finally emerged and dressed, it had been four, and she'd set to work figuring out dinner while trying to decide what to do tonight.

Around five, Bella emerged from her suite, dressed down in jeans and a flannel shirt. She'd taken one look at her daughter, amused by her attire and the fact that she was arranging a huge bucket of KFC chicken on a plate, before she'd burst out laughing. She'd teased Renesmee about wearing Jacob's shirt, but bumped her hip against her daughter's on her way out, winking. It had made Renesmee blush, that her mother knew her actual plans for the evening, but she supposed she would _have_ to know—it was her fault Renesmee had come out like this in the first place.

"We'll be back around dawn," Bella had said, smiling as she'd heard the door open and Jacob enter. The sound of his heavy booted feet hitting the floor was a comforting sound. He'd come into the kitchen just as Bella was leaving. She'd reached up, ruffling his hair and saying, "You need a haircut, Jake."

So it was decided. She wanted to cut his hair.

"So do you have anything fun in at work today?" she asked. "I swear I saw ten wrecks on my way home tonight."

"I swear we got every one of them," Jacob groaned. One of his hands came forward to give her leg a little rub before dropping back to his knee. "And everything's just so out of whack right now. Rick's still out because he won't sit still and his damn stitches opened, so I don't even know when he's coming back. Meanwhile, shit's still gotta get ordered, but thank God nothing's gotten fucked up yet. I'm just ordering whatever he ordered at this time last year, and so far, so good."

"They're so lucky to have you," she said honestly, leaning down slightly to get a better look at his front, making sure it was even.

"Aw, gee, thanks, honey!" He said it around a mouthful of spit, and she rolled her eyes.

"Seriously," she said, straightening up and giving the top of his head a little smack. She walked around behind him again, finding she was nearly finished. "It's peak season for wrecks, Jacob—holidays and bad weather, right? So when things are this busy, it's a lot harder to do what you do. Not a lot of people can just step up to the plate like that—take control and get things done." Combing a silky strand of his dark hair, she raised the scissors to snip-snip at the lock. "You're not having any problems; things are getting done in good time and good _quality_, and that's important, too." She could see the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. "You're a natural leader, Jacob, and they're very fortunate you're there right now. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, baby," he said, and his voice was sincere. "I want you to be proud of me. And you're not doing too bad, yourself."

"Oh, my God," she moaned, throwing her head back. "It's actually _work_, Jake! Do you know when the last time was that I actually had to put forth effort at school?"

Jacob chuckled, and the sound seeped into her like hot chocolate into her veins on a cold night. "Carlisle warned you the first time would be hard—your dad, too."

"I know," she huffed. "I guess I just took it for granted."

"Right. Well, that said, aren't you top of your class?"

"Yes."

"The girl who has to drive to a train to get on a train, three hours round trip every day, is top of her class, correct?"

Renesmee felt the blush color her cheeks. "It was my decision to go to Columbia," she repeated for the thousandth time. Her father thought she was crazy for turning down Princeton, where he was getting another philosophy degree while her mother studied sociology. "I wanted to be a nurse, and Princeton doesn't offer nursing degrees. And it never takes me the full three hours," she added. "My car is _fast_."

Jacob chuckled. "You've got to be a sight in that thing. Hot chick in an SUV, dragging down the highway."

"It is a sight to behold."

"So you travel into the city five days a week to hack up cadavers."

"I find it fascinating."

"That's gross."

"It's worth it to be able to go to La Perla when I want." Renesmee sighed happily. It was almost as good as being in Chicago.

"That it is." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Done," she said, putting the scissors down on the counter. "Take a look."

He combed his fingers through his hair in the mirror while she ran the little vacuum to suck up his hair. "Looks good," he said, smiling. "You did a very good job, honey."

"You realize I'm the only woman in this family who gets to cut her husband's hair?" she asked. It felt strangely good to make this statement. It was one of the many things that made them special—different—than their family.

Jacob chuckled, reading her mind and her tone. "Proud of that, aren't you?" He turned away from the mirror, roughly shoving aside the low stool he'd been perched on while she'd worked. His hands wrapped around her waist, and he maneuvered her with practiced ease out of the bathroom and into their bedroom. Warm, soft lips pressed against hers, and she ran her fingers through his barely-dried silky hair, downy soft from its recent conditioning.

Somehow, she was on her back. She wasted no time trying do discern how she'd arrived there, though, instead wrapping her legs around Jacob's waist and pulling him forcefully down on top of her. He grunted slightly, and settled right between her legs. The huge shirt she was wearing had ridden up, and there was nothing on under her leggings, so there was only a thin strip of cotton and a pair of jeans between them. She could feel the strained zipper pressing into her as he rocked forward again, grunting, and it hit her _just so_, forcing her back to arch and a cry to leave her lips.

And thank God they were home alone, because it was loud.

Her volume seemed to spur him on, and before she knew it, his huge hands were ripping apart the shirt, sending buttons ricocheting in every direction. His eyes zeroed in on her now-bared breasts, darkening several shades of black. She felt a dull ache begin between her legs—it was almost painful not to have him inside her. Pressing her hands against his cheeks as he lowered himself to her chest, she watched as he froze and looked back up at her, his face almost frightening. Instead of being scared, though, she felt her arousal flare further. He began his descent again, this time aiming further down than his original target, landing with his face between her legs. He tugged her leggings down to her ankles, pushing her knees apart. No time was wasted as he began lapping at her right away, as if she were a clear lake on a hot summer's day in the desert. The feeling of his tongue moving caused another shout to tumble from her lips, and it echoed off the walls, mixing with his grunts of satisfaction at her taste and reaction.

It wasn't only his tongue and lips that were stimulating her. As she sat up, her eyes fell on the beautiful sight of her husband, kneeling on the floor between her spread legs, all his attention focused on her. She wrapped the fingers of one hand in his hair. He glanced up at her again, this time smiling a little. Pulling her lip between her teeth, she groaned loudly again while she watched his tongue dart in and out, up and down. He was going slowly now, teasing. She panted and gasped until she decided that she couldn't stand it for another second.

Using all of her strength and speed, she swung him up and onto the bed, landing neatly on top of him. At some point, he'd shed his jeans—when it had happened, she had no idea—and he was wearing only the plain dark blue t-shirt he'd been wearing all night. His stolen shirt still hung loosely from her body as she mounted him, growling as she slid onto him and he filled her aching void.

A sound somewhere between a moan and a laugh escaped Jacob's lips, and she stared hazily down at him. "You're so wet, Ness."

No answer came to her, so she gave none. She only let her body move, satiating her needs with his god-like body. He let her take what she needed, giving her the control she suddenly realized she so desperately needed. Her eyes feasted on his face, screwed up with pleasure as she rode him forcefully. Beneath the russet, his face was red from the effort of restraining his release, and she reached between them, letting her own fingers rapidly finger her clit to speed her own orgasm. A loud shout issued from his lips when she cried out, clenching around him, and he shot into her. His warmth seeped into her, making her shudder delightfully.

Unable to continue supporting her own weight, she slumped down on top of him, suddenly exhausted. He rolled them to their sides, peppering her face with chaste kisses. She giggled, squirming, but not really attempting to get away from him.

When they finally sobered, they lay on their sides, facing each other. One of his arms was loosely tossed over her waist, ensuring her closeness. They rested on their pillows, close enough to breath in and out each other's air. His smelt sweet and a little minty, and it mixed in with the smell of _him_—musk and earth and engine oil and fax machines and Jacob Black. He smelled good enough to eat.

She blinked. Thirst flared from nowhere, and she swallowed, a little unsettled. It had come from nowhere…

But she hadn't hunted in a while. She'd been too distracted by school and her husband.

She was so distracted, in fact, that she didn't realize her hand rested on her husband's neck, and he listened in pondering silence to her tormented thoughts.

"Are you thirsty?" His voice was very soft, and she wished yet again that she'd known him when he was a teenager. Maybe this was what he'd sounded like. A little shy, a little nervous.

"I'm fine." She pulled her hand away, but he grabbed it back. The arm that was around her waist pulled her a little closer, close enough for her to press her forehead against his shoulder.

"Just take it easy," he implored her, tilting his head off to the side.

"No," she protested, but her eyes zeroed in on the pulsing vein in his neck.

"It's fine," he said, laughing. "So I'll be a little iron deficient and you'll have to make me a huge breakfast in the morning to make it up to me. It actually doesn't sound so bad."

"Shut up," she muttered, but it wasn't a bad idea. And she could be good…

She always had been before.

Her teeth slid through his dark skin like a hot knife through soft butter. There was no resistance, and his blood instantly flooded her mouth. She moaned, the sound deep in her throat and making her whole body vibrate. He was still inside her, and she felt him hardening. It felt unbelievable, and she clenched around him. He tasted even better than he had smelled, if such an obscene thing were possible. She toyed with his hair again, as if she were kissing him, and unexpectedly came again when he throbbed in her, suddenly completely solid. He came with her, and she pulled her lips from his neck, lapping softly at his wound. A very soft whine, a vulnerable sound, slipped from his lips, and he buried his face in her breasts. She smiled slightly, still playing with his hair, which was damp with sweat now.

"I should cut your hair more often," she mused, smiling down at his exhausted face, gazing up at her over the tops of her breasts. He smiled slightly, his lids heavy. "Go to sleep," she murmured, running a hand across the side of his face.

"Love you," he mumbled, his voice muffled. His eyes closed and she felt his body relax almost immediately into sleep.

It was two hours later before she heard anything other than the sound of his heavy breathing. Muffled voices sounded downstairs, and after a few minutes, a door closed somewhere on the floor below her. Her parents were home.

Pulling on a robe, Renesmee took a final glance at her sleeping husband before, smiling, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Taking the kettle from the stove, she filled it with water, then perched herself on a stool to wait for it to boil. Less than a minute later, soft footsteps preceded her mother's smiling face.

"Can't sleep?" she asked, her voice more inquisitive than concerned.

"Not really." Renesmee reached across the vast countertop for a tea bag and mug. "I feel like I'm sleeping even less as I'm getting older. I think I really only need two or three hours."

Her mother nodded thoughtfully, flitting across the kitchen to where the kettle was boiling. "I can understand that," she said. "Your body would require minimal rest, because it's not aging anymore. You should mention it to Carlisle."

"Probably." She watched the water flow from the kettle to the cup.

"How was school today?"

"Hard." Renesmee frowned. "Stupid humans can't handle driving in bad weather, so the professor crammed three hours into thirty minutes and gave us a ton of homework before sending everybody home early. I went all the way into the city for nothing I couldn't have gotten in an e-mail, basically."

"What was hard about it?"

"I'm just struggling a little with everything I'm supposed to do." Sighing, Renesmee glanced wearily at the ceiling. "I've got a big paper due next week, too. You think daddy would let me pick his brain?"

"He'd love it," Bella said, smiling. "You know that."

"I know."

Renesmee drank her tea, sharing chit chat with her mother about their day, cracking jokes now and then at their husbands' expense. Her mother mentioned thinking of purchasing a different car; Renesmee wanted new rims for her Audi. It was relaxing.

After finishing her tea and kissing her mother goodnight, Renesmee made her way to the third floor, wandering down to her parents' suite. Her father was reclined in his favorite chair, frowning slightly while he read some journal. His frown dissipated as she crossed the room to give him a kiss goodnight. He bid her sweet dreams, and she continued up to the attic.

In the bedroom, Jacob was still asleep, a small frown on her face. She let the robe drop to the floor and climbed back into bed, a little tired now. She smiled slightly when his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him and burying his face once more in her breasts.

She finally fell asleep that way, her hands buryed once again in his freshly cut hair.

_a/n This "First" was sponsored by readers like you. To continue to see lots of fresh and funny firsts, please review and leave your ideas. And if you don't have one, that's okay—review anyway! I like it…_


	31. Thanksgiving

_a/n I would like to start this by saying you guys are AMAZING! You've given me so many ideas, and the wheels are turning with a bit less rust lately, so you have yourselves and your amazing reviews to thank for this first. It's for you guys!_

_Big thanks to Jjheart97, without whom this may not have been finished until next week. Between work; work; three pies; three and a half hours of driving for Thanksgiving week kickoff with the old man; work; two hours of driving to fucking WORK; losing my voice due to singing Glee mash-ups and singing at WORK; cantata practice (more singing) with round trip an hour both ways (believe it or not, driving); hosting Thanksgiving with a pregnant woman, and refereeing her two kids; helping an 80-something hostess prep for Thanksgiving, then do dinner AGAIN (fortunately, boyfriend drives my stick shift now!); work twice in a row, because after all this, that sounds like a fucking AWESOME idea; sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep; work...  
_

_Yeah, I been busy. But I've got material...  
_

_Heed the rating. Kiddies, begone, back to your world of Justin Bieber and _High School Musical_. To all you pie bakers, turkey roasters, flame fighters, pregnant woman, men-who-are-forced-to-move-everything, and cranberry-smashers, I give you…_

_**HOSTING THANKSGIVING**_

When the alarm went off at five in the morning, Jacob thought his wife had set it wrong. He remembered her saying last night that they both needed to get up early today, but this was crazy. The only thing that kept him from complaining was the groan that came from his wife's side of the bed.

"I'm so sick of cooking," she grumbled, reaching over to end the offensive buzzing sound.

Squashing the desire to complain about the hour down, he instead moved the hand that was over her waist around to her back and rubbed lightly. She groaned and arched into his touch. He smiled smugly. "Feel good?"

"I'm so tired," she groaned. "I'm _never_ tired, and I feel so exhausted! First time I get to sleep in three days, and I get four hours."

Jacob blinked. "You haven't slept in three days?"

"No." Renesmee rolled over so she was facing him, and he was a little surprised to see that her eyes were drooping heavily. "I'm so tired."

Jacob frowned, and reached up to brush her hair out of her face. "Why don't you just go back to sleep?" he asked, watching her eyes slowly close. "I can make a turkey." Her eyes flew open, and they were wide with horror. "Okay, so I probably can't, but I bet if I call Esme and ask her really nicely that she'll come and help out with the cooking."

"Probably," she mumbled, her mouth now hidden by the comforter. "But I said I was hosting Thanksgiving this year, and I'm hosting Thanksgiving."

"Most people recruit a small army to cook for Thanksgiving as it is," he reasoned, rubbing sleep from his eyes and trying to think fast, despite the haze in his brain and his unexplainably present morning wood. "You're cooking for a bunch of men with huge appetites."

"Hmm." She sighed heavily. "I need to get up."

"Stay a minute," he pleaded. He wrapped her up in his arms and rolled onto his back, bringing her to rest on his chest. "Lay here with me."

She smiled sleepily. "You just want sex," she muttered, but her hips thrust against his and she sighed softly.

"So?" He grinned into her hair. "What man doesn't want sex from his wife?"

"A man in an unhealthy marriage."

"Come on." He slid a hand under the long white nightgown she'd pulled on last night. His pushed it up to her waist, his hands sliding further up and finding her bare breasts. Glancing down, he saw that she wasn't wearing underwear. "You're all bare under here," he whispered, letting his lips caress her ears. "Let me enjoy it a little before a million people show up."

"I'll fall back asleep." But her back was arching into his hands, and his sensitive sense of smell caught the scent of her arousal beginning to build.

He let his fingers tweak her nipples, and a low moan escaped from his lips. Still a little sleepy, but awake enough for this, he reached down, releasing his hard on from his boxers and guiding it between his wife's legs. She was ready for him already, and he wasted no time sliding home. Her head fell back and she gasped softly in his arms. She didn't raise herself up to ride him, instead choosing the slow grind they often engaged in at this time of day. It was lazy sex, and he had long since decided it was underrated. Lying beneath her, still half asleep and focused on the sensation of her wet muscles clenching around him, he thrust slowly up into her.

She came suddenly, without warning, like she so often did when he woke her in the night or early in the morning, her tired body so sensitive already. She became limp on him, not moving as he spilled into her, grunting. After a few minutes of gasping for breath, he took stock of the situation. His limp cock still stayed in her body, but the steady sound of her breathing indicated that she had fallen back asleep. Perfect.

Carefully, so as not to wake her, Jacob slid out of his wife and gently rolled her onto her side. He gently tugged down her cotton nightie and tucked the covers in around her. She sighed contentedly, and he crept out of the bedroom, grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as he went. Out in the hall, he dressed hastily as he made his way to the stairs. His phone was in the kitchen, and he made his way there, bumbling a little along the way. Groaning when he flipped on the light, he glared at the clock on the stove.

Mother fucking five thirty in the goddamned morning. Bull mother fucking shit.

Never again would they host Thanksgiving, he decided, flipping on the coffee pot. The smell of Renesmee's fancy coffee filled the room, and he reached for his phone while it percolated.

Dialing the desired number, he sank down onto a stool at the island, waiting as the connecting line rang. It rang about ten times, a little unusual for afternoon, but not for five thirty when Carlisle was just coming home from work an hour ago. The voice that answered was very sweet, but there was just a hint of exasperation there that no one would hear unless they knew its owner very well.

"Hello, Jacob." In the background, he could hear a groan of exasperation—Carlisle.

"I'm sorry," Jacob blurted, feeling guilty for interrupting, as well as a little embarrassed. "I wouldn't call this early, but I'm having a minor emergency. Nessie's so tired, so I convinced her to go back to sleep while I start on getting wrapped up for today, but I have no idea what I'm doing." He sniffed the air, glancing at the stove. "And I just realized she's got a turkey in the oven. Shit. What do I do?"

Esme's musical laugh was the most wonderful sound in the world at that moment—it indicated his forgivness. "Oh, darling, I was wondering how long it would take her to pass out. Go look in the oven and tell me what you see."

Jacob followed direction, flipping on the oven light and looking through the glass. "I see foil."

"Look under the foil," Esme instructed, and it sounded like she was moving around. Getting dressed, probably. Jacob tried to force the mental image of Esme and Carlisle out of his head. "What does the turkey look like?"

Opening the oven, Jacob inhaled deeply. "It _smells_ fantastic," he said. He lifted the foil. "It looks done. It looks good."

"Is there a little white or red stick sticking out?"

Jacob surveyed the turkey. "Yes."

"It's sticking out of the turkey, correct? Not flush against it?"

Jacob surveyed the little stick. "Yeah. I think when I first saw it the little stick thingie was still down, so it's up now. Is that good?"

"Take it out, stick a thermometer in the thickest part of the turkey, and tell me what it reads." He could hear a rustling, like the movement of clothing, in the background.

Forcing a better focus of his eyes, he saw a large meat thermometer and reached for it, spearing the large turkey with it. He waited for the dial to move, then stop, resting around one hundred seventy degrees. After giving this information to Esme, he was given cheerful instruction that it was done and to remove it from the oven, and then to wait to do anything else until she arrived. She hung up, and Jacob removed the bird before shuffling across the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Way too much work before six in the morning, he decided, but totally worth it.

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The first thing Renesmee registered was the smell of something very tasty and sugary baking. It filled her nostrils, and for a second, she thought she was still living with her parents. She half expected to wander downstairs and find her mother pulling fresh cinnamon rolls from the oven, all bright smiles and cheerful hellos.

That was, until she remembered that it was Thanksgiving.

The last thing she remembered was collapsing on top of Jacob early in the morning. He'd seduced her with soft pleas for her attention, begging for her body with his eyes and hands, and she had given herself to him all too willingly—her husband was easily able to cajole her into sex whenever she was hesitant. His warm body had filled hers, his hands rubbing and caressing until she came. Then she passed out, and that was the last memory she could recall.

Now, she rolled over to look at the clock. Despite her lingering grogginess, her eyes widened with horror when she realized that it was nearly eleven thirty.

"Fuck!" she hissed, scrambling out of bed. She raced downstairs with every ounce of vampiric speed she possessed, pulling on a fluffy bathrobe as she went. When she made it down, she came to a screeching halt, her mouth falling open in shock.

Two huge turkeys were situated on the counter top, cooked to golden brown perfection. Bags of sugar and a few emptied cans lay on the counter top—ingredients for pumpkin pie, she recognized. Everything else was in its usual spotless state, and she blinked in amazement and relief.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Her grandmother's sweet voice interrupted her thoughts, and she averted her eyes to her left, where her grandmother was plating bacon and eggs for Jacob, who was sitting at the island, already wolfing down a huge portion. "I made plenty, if you're hungry."

"Yeah," Renesmee said, walking into the kitchen in a sort of daze. "I'm starved." She nudged her husband's foot as she sat down, giving him accusing look. He merely winked at her before returning to his breakfast. "How long have you been here?"

"Since six." Her eyes sparkled. Standing in the middle of the Black kitchen in an apron and waiting for a pie to finish baking, Esme was in her element. "Jacob said you needed rest, and I agree. You've been running yourself ragged this week with everything you've been doing. Really, my job was easy. Everything was already set and ready to prepare. All you have left to do is the cranberries."

"Holy shit," she groaned, letting her head fall down onto the granite counter top. "I can't believe I slept 'til now." Rolling her head off to the side, she glared at her husband, reaching over to press a hand to his cheek. She showed him a picture of their lovemaking that morning, and he grinned at her annoyance as she revealed that she knew this was planned.

Esme was bustling to get the pie out of the oven, and Jacob leaned over to breathe into her ear, "Maybe again later?"

She slapped his hand away as it came to rest on her knee, and he cackled with delight. "Asshole," she mumbled, digging into her breakfast. "To think, I let you pop my cherry."

Esme was unable to hold back all of her laughter, and a strangled snort escaped her lips as she put the pie on the stove. "Well, dear, I'm going to pop back home, change clothes, and grab my husband." Her eyes, like shining gold, were mischievous as they gazed into Renesmee's brown ones. "And by grab my husband, I mean _grab_ my husband." She winked, and then she was gone.

Renesmee stared after her in shock, a forkful of eggs halfway to her mouth. "I can't even believe she just said that to me."

"I may have let slip I was the reason you fell asleep this morning," he said, laughing. Renesmee felt her cheeks blaze. "She thought it was a riot."

Shoveling down her food, Renesmee rose from her seat and took away Jacob's now empty plate. "I need you to vacuum the living room real quick," she said, not looking at him as she bent over to put the plates into the dishwasher. "I need to do that cranberry sauce, then start setting the table, and Seth's getting here at one, so—"

Her words were cut off by a strong pair of hands grabbing at her waist. She squealed with indignation as Jacob lifted her to the counter. She tried to push him away, but it was difficult when his hands wasted no time sliding back up under her nightgown again, pushing it up and this time pulling it over her head. Before she knew it, she was naked on her kitchen counter, gasping for breath with legs spread like a whore. She tried to close them slightly, feeling overly wanton, but Jacob forced them back open with brute force.

Well, if he wanted her legs spread…

Any annoyance she had felt faded rapidly when his mouth fell open, gaping as she laid her legs flat on the counter top on either side of her in a split. She leaned back on her hands, thrusting her breasts out for his viewing pleasure, and taking a deep breath, said, "Well, if you're going to fuck me, get on with it, because we still have a lot of work to do."

He grunted, his eyes glazing over slightly as he unzipped his jeans and shoved them down to the floor before kicking them off. He stood before her now in nothing but a t-shirt, but that was still too much. Reaching forward, she made a fist around his t-shirt and pulled, hard. This accomplished two goals. The first was that his shirt was ripped, fairly violently, from his body. The second was that he came crashing forward into her, naked as the day he'd been born. Her hands had minds of their own as they made their way up to wind into his hair, tugging hard and earning a groan of pleasure from her husband. She let her heals dig into his firm ass when he buried himself in her folds without any foreplay. His head fell back, and a strangled half-laugh, half-moan, made its way from between his lips.

"I just fucked you this morning," he moaned, moving with quick, shallow thrusts. "How the fuck are you still so tight?"

"I'm always tight for you, baby," she whispered, her lips against his ear. She let her lips trail down to the soft patch of skin behind his ear and nipped at it lightly, his soft whimper of pained pleasure caressing her ears. The sound aroused her further, and she slid a hand down between them. This had to be fast, and damn it, she'd never missed an orgasm before and she wasn't about to start now. A harsh snarl made its way from her lips when her own fingers made their way to her clit, giving it a sharp pinch. Jacob's forehead came to rest against hers, and she followed his downward gaze to where they were joined. His thick erection was coated with her moisture and it moved easily in and out of her. She lowered her fingers a bit, using the bases of her fingers to stimulate herself while letting her fingers trail against Jacob every time he pulled out of her, and every time he pushed back in.

He was so beautiful, she decided yet again, as she watched his face. He was grunting and panting, growling out expletives and praises for her that would make anyone blush.

"I'm gonna come," she gasped, letting her eyes lock onto his.

"Fuck yes," he grunted, and he batted her hand out of the way. As soon as his hot fingers were on her clit, she was finished. She screamed, feeling herself pouring onto him. His head fell back, and he shouted with pleasure, spilling into her for the second time that morning. His thrusts slowed to a stop, and he finally stilled, his head resting on her shoulder, gasping for air.

"Let's call everybody and tell them you're sick," Jacob begged, his fingers tightening on her hips, and she burst into delighted peals of laughter as she felt him begin to harden again inside her.

"I'm not the sick one," she giggled, pushing against him with her hips and making him moan. "You're insatiable today."

"You're naked in the middle of the kitchen on Thanksgiving with your legs flat on a countertop," he informed her, his voice serious. "I'm in overload right now. All I'm going to be able to think about for the rest of the day is fucking you."

"There's not enough time for more sex," she said, shaking her head slightly as she pushed him away. Her cheeks flamed yet again when she felt his semen seeping out of her, mixed in with her own come. "But there's enough for a quick blow job, if you'd like." She hopped down off the counter, grinning playfully and kneeling before him with her mouth wide open.

"Shit, baby," he said, laughing as he turned to face her. "If I ever turn that down, worry about me."

She opened her mouth wide, inviting him to enter, and his eyes glazed over slightly. He slid in, and she could taste both of them on his heated skin. Reaching up, she guided his hands to the back of her head, making her eyes wide and giving him her best innocent look. His eyes glazed over, blacker now, somehow more predatory. Yielding her control willingly, she let him fuck her mouth, thrusting in and guiding the movements of her head with his firm grip on her hair. The pulling sensation aroused her, and she quickly reached down between her legs.

"Slap it." Jacob's voice was gruff, lower and huskier than anyone but her ever heard. The low vibrations in his body made her shiver, and she spread her knees a bit more so she could follow his order.

"God, you're so beautiful," he groaned, his head falling back again. "Fuck, baby, I can't hold it anymore."

Neither could she. She screamed around him as she released, and he came a moment later, spurred on by the sight. This final time seemed to do it, and he leaned heavily against the counter while she proudly swallowed his unbelievably large load.

And it was easy after that to shepherd him upstairs to shower and change so he could camp out and watch football with a beer.

"I don't understand why everyone has to come over." He wore a loopy smile on his lips, and she laughed.

"Because we offered, remember?" She kissed his cheek as wandered into the bathroom.

"Never again, if this is going to be how we celebrate Thanksgiving from now on."

"Oh, shut up." It was hard to keep from encouraging him with a smile, and a little one managed to escape. "You shower, I'll lay you out some fresh clothes."

He turned suddenly and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lifted her, squealing, into his arms and off her feet. His lips mashed against hers and she felt his smile against them. When he pulled away, his face was brilliant. She wondered again what he'd been like as a kid—she imagined it to be much like this.

"I love you." His eyes were shining with happiness, and Renesmee felt a rush of love for him, and pride for being the one to make him so happy.

"I love you, too," she said, grinning, and she managed to reach back and slap his ass. "Shower. Change. Beer. Football."

"Seriously, baby," he said, and he made his voice and face very serious. "You are the best wife in the world. Only an amazing woman would encourage those last two."

Feeling her face flush, she gave him one last little smile before turning him and giving him a shove toward the doorway.

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Seth was the first to arrive, alone, holding a case of beer out to Jacob before stepping into the house and shouting, "Let's do this! I just checked all your neighbors, and we're all clear!"

"Sweet!" Jacob heard her close the oven door. "Jake? Come here."

"I believe you said shower, change, beer, _football_. Besides, Dolphins have a shot in hell. It's worth it to watch if they can beat Dallas."

"Jacob Black!"

Grumbling, Jacob got off the couch, only really willing because a commercial had just started. He walked into the kitchen. She smiled at him, a plate of food in her hands. It looked like a ham sandwich, made out of the ham she'd just pulled out of the oven. "I need you to sample it," she said, eyes twinkling. There were honey mustard pretzels and a few celery sticks tossed on there, as well. She'd made him a snack. "Seth and I are going out to smoke. Don't touch anything in here, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said, grinning as he took the plate, kissing her on the tip of her nose. "Whatever you say, ma'am."

Okay, he thought, as he sat down, grimacing as Dallas scored more or less at the same time, maybe hosting Thanksgiving wasn't so bad.

The rest of their families started to filter in about an hour later. Her aunts and uncles were the first to arrive, their attention focused not on their niece, who currently had bloodshot eyes, but on the game. The giggling woman in question trekked up stairs to get her changed out of her White Sox sweats, followed closely by her also giggling aunts.

By the time she emerged forty five minutes later, Dallas had just beaten Miami, and the only people missing from the festivities were her parents. Unsurprised by this, and seeming to be half expecting it, Renesmee announced that those who were hungry were welcome to eat.

Normally, Jacob would be the first one in line to eat his wife's cooking, but today he let Charlie and Billy go first, followed by Sue, then the rest of his friends. He hung back, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. "Everything looks great, honey."

"You don't think it's tacky to have a table in the living room?"

"They'd eat in there anyway," he laughed, nodding to where a new game was beginning. "It's great. Surprisingly traditional."

"As long as I've been alive, anyway," she responded, her smile a little cheeky. A twinkle lit her eye. "Not that that's a large span of time."

"Can we please stop talking about your age?" he begged. "It always makes me feel..."

"Like a creep?"

"A little."

"You would be," she said, nodding, wrapping her arms around his waist. "But I'm not normal for my age."

"Thank God," he laughed. "Come on and eat with me. It smells amazing."

Her parents arrived halfway through dinners to jeers from their brothers. Bella looked impeccable, if maybe a little overdressed. She wore an off the shoulder green cocktail dress with high stilettos she would _never_ have managed human. Her long hair was down and perfectly straight like always, and her eyes were bright. Edward stepped in behind her, clad in khakis and a polo, but the shirt was a little mussed and untucked in a corner. His hair was messier than usual, as well.

A bunch of them played Scrabble later, teaming up so anyone with two or more college degrees was paired up with someone who had one or less. Jacob wound up with Emmett as his partner, and he was shocked to discover that Emmett was actually very smart. The family carpenter was also the fastest at crossword puzzles, aside from Carlisle, and a wiz at any puzzle in general. He would score points dropping bombs that used two of their tiles by waiting until someone made a move that he could work with. All triple word scores went to them, and they won, beating Carlisle and Seth by one point.

The men yelled at the television, booing bad calls, while Renesmee tried to beat Nahuel's sister, Jen, at Twister. They fell into a laughing heap with Rosalie, the three of them tangled beyond anything even a vampire could support. The sound of her laughter cut through the shouting, and Jacob glanced over from their Scrabble battle to smile at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and a bright smile lit her face.

And much later, when everyone was gone, Jacob made his way upstairs, shutting off lights as he went. Renesmee had begged him to come lay with her until she slept, and that didn't happen very often, so he happily appeased her. Upon entering the bedroom, though, he found her asleep.

She was lying on her side, her lovely eyes covered by her lavender eyelids. She was wearing a pair of panties and one of his t-shirts. Her hair was mussed a bit already, and one of her arms was reached toward where he would normally be lying next to her. He shut off the light, sliding carefully in next to her. She didn't wake, but she did curl into him, a soft sound of content escaping her lips.

She was perfect.

She was _everything_ he would be thankful for, for the rest of his life.

_a/n Review! Ideas! Goodnight!_


	32. Walking Out

_a/n Thank you all for your patience. I'll leave notes at the end. In the meantime, enjoy!_

_Set about two months before "Drive-In."_

_**WALKING OUT**_

Late spring rain fell outside, but it was nothing special for Seattle. Nothing in Seattle was special anymore. Two years of hard work, tests, blood work, and more tests, all she was met with was failure, and a realization that those two years may have been a waste. She was a failure as a wife, a partner, a lover, and a friend.

_Three Days Earlier_

The front door closed, perhaps louder than he'd meant to, but Jacob wanted nothing more than to be the hell away from his job right now. The day had been long and terrible. A late, random cold streak had brought sleet to Seattle, and in the three hours it was on the pavement, more cars came in wrecked than Jacob had seen since winter. The drivers had been irate, rushed with end of the school year things to get done, and all seemed to think it was alright to take it out on him.

All he wanted was to go home to his wife.

"Babe?" The house was dark. Despite the fact that it was past six, there was no smell of cooking like there normally was. His wife didn't rush to meet him, and he sighed heavily. Locking the door, he speed dialed his favorite pizza place and ordered their favorite deep dish, Chicago-style pizza. Seriously, best pie on the west coast. It would be an hour before it arrived, so he kicked off his shoes and made his way slowly upstairs to their bedroom.

He stopped in the bathroom to wash his face, and his eye caught on a white stick in the trash. Already knowing what the test would say, Jacob focused on getting the grime off his face and hands. When he was somewhat clean, he made his way back out, pulling off his grimy shirt as he went. He tossed it into the laundry upon entering. His wife was lying on their big bed, cradling a massive bowl of ice cream with all the toppings a person could want, watching _No Reservations_ on the Travel Channel. She didn't look at him, or speak, so he changed silently out of the rest of his grimy work clothes. Knowing he'd have to go down and answer the door for the pizza, he pulled on a pair of basketball shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt before flopping down next to Renesmee on the bed. She didn't say anything, but she did blink slowly at the TV. Her eyes were red from crying.

"I ordered pizza," he said, by way of explanation. "Why didn't you call and tell me?"

She shrugged. Her face was relatively expressionless, but her eyes flashed slightly.

"What?"

"I didn't say anything." Her eyes went blank, flat, like the rest of her face.

Jacob heaved a sigh. "I'm gonna grab a beer and wait for the pizza."

"You can't wait up here?"

Jacob shrugged. "Do you want me to wait here?"

"Do whatever you want."

He couldn't believe it, but what he wanted right now was to be away from her. At a quicker pace than he had ascended, Jacob made his way down to the kitchen, flipping the light switch angrily. He loved her more than anything—she was the beginning and end of his day, the most important thing in his life, and the only thing he would need for the rest of forever. But damn it if she wasn't stubborn as a mule—scratch that, he thought bitterly, she was as stubborn as Edward.

But maybe, he mused, cracking open a beer, it wasn't fair to blame Edward. Edward, who was, after all, his ally in this. Edward, who was the only person who had been able to convince Bella that Jacob was right.

And the only other person who really knew that there was no convincing Renesmee at this point.

And that was the catalyst. His number one priority in life was her well-being, and as he'd discussed with Paul and Quil, the well-being of a woman was not always about what she wanted. Hell, if Quil gave Claire everything she wanted, it would wreck him, her, their families, and their lives. There was that difference between _want_ and _need_, the same one that had allowed Jacob to keep Renesmee at arm's length for so long when she'd been a child.

When she'd been a child, he thought bitterly. Never in his life had he felt his wife was being more childish than she was right now.

So he gave her what she needed—space. Knuckles white, he took the whole case of eighteen beers into the living room. If she could wallow in misery at not having a child there was no _way_ she could take care of, he could wallow in the misery of having a wife who was wallowing in misery and unnecessarily angry with him. Like this was his fault...

Six beers later, the doorbell rang. The Mariners were finally winning, but it was to the Nationals. Nothing special, other than Washington State playing Washington, D.C. He paid the pizza guy, tipping him heavily, before going back inside.

"Babe!" he called up the stairs. "Pizza's here!"

"I'm not hungry." Her voice was flat, even at an elevated volume.

"Come on, honey," he called up, rolling his eyes as he made his way upstairs. "You need to eat something."

"I have ice cream."

He made it halfway up before deciding it wasn't worth the argument that would ensue, and instead of doing what he always did, he turned and made his way back to the living room. On his fourth slice of pizza, he heard her come tromping down the stairs, much louder than was usual or necessary.

"Seriously?" She gestured to where he sat on the couch, another piece of pizza halfway to his mouth.

"You said you weren't hungry." He stared at her blankly, a little confused at her annoyance.

"That doesn't mean you have to ignore me." She crossed her arms. "I'm upset—I could use a little support."

"I could use a little food before you rip me a new one," he countered, taking a bite. "Mm-mmm." He swallowed. "Pizza's good. You should have some."

"I. Am. Not. Hungry."

"Here we go." Setting down the pizza, Jacob wiped his hands on a napkin. "What did I do?"

"I just told you!" She threw her hands out at her sides. "You're my husband! You're supposed to support me!"

"And you're supposed to support me!" he fired back. His stomach churned with displeasure. Jacob had never particularly enjoyed fighting with his wife. With their volatile tempers, it was amazing fights didn't happen more, but they had been increasing in volume and intensity for the past two years, since this whole baby thing had started.

"What the hell does that mean?" she yelled. "Why do you think I'm going back to school?"

Jacob had the most terrible day he'd had in a very long time. He'd come home, hoping to enjoy a quiet night in with his wife, and now, she was screaming at him from across the living room. Jacob was tired, and needed a shower and some sleep, and maybe a little pep talk. But instead of getting a pep talk...

Somehow, _she_ was the straw that broke the camel's back. And somehow, he didn't see it coming until it was too late. Six beers had loosened his tongue, and there was no way to shut if off. He couldn't lie to her anymore. She didn't deserve to be lied to, and it made him as guilty as her.

"It means, I think we should just shelf this whole 'baby thing' for a while!" Rising to his feet, he used his whole height to his advantage, trying to tower over her. Her eyes raised to follow his, but they were hard. She was ready for the fight. It was like she _needed_ it. "Honestly, I don't think it's a good time. You want to go back to school for nursing, _and_ work part time, right after we move! How the hell do you think you're going to take care of a kid?"

"I would take care of a baby just fine!" she screamed. He noticed for the first time that her hair was down, and that she was wearing a pink chemise. It was pale and innocent looking, but he could still see her breasts and the dark patches of her nipples. He had fucked her in it before, with it bunched around her waist. It did nothing for him now. "I would be a terrific mother!"

"You think you can solve all your problems with sex!" Her mouth fell open, and he continued. "What are you going to do when the kid keeps you up all night? Remember when we babysat for Paul and Rachel?"

"Do _not_ bring that into this!" she shouted.

"You couldn't handle two five year olds for a weekend!" He pointed in her face, triumphant.

"Shut up!" She hurled a ceramic coaster at his head, and he dodged it easily. "Shut _up!_"

"Honey, I love you, but the only reason you want a baby is just to prove that you can!" He held his hands up, praying that she wouldn't notice the end table at her side. That would be harder to duck if she threw it quickly.

"What's wrong with that?" she asked, her voice lowering only slightly so that it was raised loudly.

"You shouldn't want kids to prove a point." He could hear his voice, and it sounded pleading to his own ears. "Having children isn't a science experiment. If it were, no one in the tribe would have had kids after Paul and Rachel. You should want kids because you want to create a life with another person—a life that will grow and be proof to the world of how much you love each other! I mean, Jesus, honey, you're so ahead of your years and smart, but you can be so _stupid_ sometimes!"

Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.

"Baby, I'm sorry," he started, but she held up her hand, closing her mouth and averting her eyes. "I—"

"Just don't talk to me right now, Jacob," she snapped, and with that, she turned and vanished almost instantly up the stairs. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen her run so fast, and she was running from him.

He sank down on the couch, burying his face in his hands. Too far, he thought to himself. He'd taken it just a little too far, but he couldn't lie anymore. It was too exhausting, and far too harmful. He could hear her moving around upstairs, and when she reappeared several minutes later, she simply walked through the living room, not looking at him. His ears heard the few words she did say and tried to relay them to his brain, but it was in a haze of agony. _Leaving_ and something about _being stupid_...

His eyes were closing, and he heard her car peel out of the garage and race down the driveway, speeding despite the rain. There was a terrible sound, like a wounded animal, and after a moment, he realized the terrible sound was coming from his own lips. It was accompanied by a burning ache in his chest, and he curled on the floor, sobbing, as the sound of her car disappeared into the sprawl of the Seattle night.

How much time passed, he wasn't sure, but eventually, he got to his feet. The sobbing had stopped, but now, he wandered. What was he supposed to do? The lights were out, he realized—they'd lost power. She was gone, and his world was darkness...

He would remember pacing the floors, looking for something...

Someone had called, and he'd talked to them for a minute. Work. He couldn't recall what he said to them...

He didn't come to for a while, just wandering, or collapsed on the couch in a haze, or crying and screaming for her to come back. There were beer cans everywhere. Had he gone to the store like this?

A voice... talking to someone...

"How long?" There was a pause, and Jacob blinked slowly. His eyes felt out of focus. "And he hasn't said anything?" Another pause, and he blinked again. The voice was velvety and familiar. "No, you did the right thing. Go home. You've got to be at work early for that meeting."

"Later, man." Seth. He recognized his brother's voice at once.

"I will." Jacob was confused, but then he realized that the voice was Edward's. Probably answering a thought...

The door opened and closed, and Jacob's eyes finally focused. He was lying on the couch, and the living room was a mess. Beer cans were scattered everywhere, and there were empty pizza boxes littered around. All the pillows were off the couch and love seat, piled on the floor.

Seth must have gone out the back, because Jacob could hear Edward in the kitchen. He heard a cabinet open and close, then the tap turn on. Water poured into something, then it stopped. There was a rustling he couldn't place, and a moment later, Edward appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, a glass of water in one hand and a garbage bag in the other.

He was dead, Jacob was sure. Edward was going to kill him and put his body in the bag, then carry him out to sea.

But instead of killing him, he set down the water before reaching into the pocket of the sweatshirt he wore and pulled out a beer. He put them next to each other, and without a word, set about restoring order to the living room. Jacob cracked a beer while Edward darted here and there, picking up beer cans and straightening cushions. He disappeared with the trash into the kitchen, and returned to sit next to Jacob while he waited for the beating to begin. The things he had said to his wife echoed in his head...

"I'm not going to beat you." Edward's voice seemed amused as Jacob recalled telling his wife she tried to fix her problems with sex, which wasn't entirely true, but not a complete fallacy, either. "I agree with you."

"Why?" The first word to come out of his mouth since Edward had arrived was raspy, roughened from crying and screaming. _I was terrible to her. I'm sure she showed you._

Edward nodded, but there was the trace of a frown on his face. "She's very smart, and I'm not saying she's not capable. I just think she's still so young. There are things she's never experienced before, simply because she has not spent enough time on this earth to get to them yet."

"Clearly." Jacob swigged some more beer, remembering his own words clearly. _You can be so _stupid_ sometimes..._ "Fuck, I can't believe I actually said that to her."

"She sees babies in stores, restaurants, parks, wherever, and she certainly responds like a woman. But there's a little nag of fear every time, something she won't even admit to herself. Things like, 'What would I actually do with a baby?' and 'I don't think I can handle that.' She won't admit it, but she's not ready yet. And she won't listen to me, because I'm not Carlisle, and apparently, that makes me more biased, but I don't think she has anything to worry about. I think she'll be able to continue with her cycles for a long time, probably longer than is normal. She's just trying to use it as an excuse." Judging by the rolling of his eyes and exasperated tone, Jacob deduced that the past few days had not been entertaining for his father-in-law.

"Sounds like you've discussed this with her." Jacob took another drink, wondering if she'd decided to crash her parents' house.

Edward huffed. "Why do you think I'm here? I'd rather be over here and not saying things I'll regret." An exasperated sigh escaped him. "Granted, a lot of the conversation was one sided, but I feel like more comes of it when she just rants." He grimaced. "She's not liking it over there, either. She wants to come home; she's just too stubborn to admit it."

"God, this feels like shit." Jacob rubbed his face with his hands, exhausted.

Edward sighed again, and this time, it sounded sad. "I know. I'm sorry, Jacob. I'll support you, though." He patted Jacob's back, and then got to his feet. "Maybe the move will do you some good," he said quietly, and with that, he turned and was gone.

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"He's miserable," Edward said, slamming the door. Bella frowned over her book at him, but made no verbal objection to his display of temper. "Feels like the entire thing is his fault. I love you, but I won't allow you to run away like this any longer. You can stay one more night, but after tomorrow, you need to go home."

Renesmee didn't move to glance at her father. She felt terrible. Her mother had lectured her at length after he'd left, frustrated with her.

"You've done nothing in the last three days but mope and hope we'd give you sympathy." Her voice had been unusually sharp, a tone she only took when she was truly upset with her daughter. "Now you've gone and run your father out of his own house, because you can't stop hiding from your problems."

So when her father gave her a deadline, she took it. Going back home was better than having to listen to her father's constant comments about how miserable she'd made her husband, how he was a good man who deserved better treatment...

That she needed to grow up.

Work the next day went far too quickly for her liking. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to her husband when she got home, and she stalled as long as she could. She got an oil change at the place down the street from the hospital. She went for groceries to make something for dinner. She filled up her car with gas, even though she still had a full tank.

And at six, when she pulled in, she had finally decided to say nothing. The last time she'd opened her mouth around him, she'd nearly ruined their marriage. It was damaged enough as it was, so until she knew exactly what to say, she would simply say nothing.

She was a Cullen. She was an expert at pretending nothing unusual was happening. An actress...

Blinking tears out of her eyes at the sight of his car, seemingly unmoved, parked in the garage, she made her way inside. He was camped on the couch, exactly where her father had bitterly informed her she'd find him, blankly watching ESPN.

"Hi," she called softly, and his eyes slowly shifted to look at her. Her breath caught in her throat.

The man on her couch was a ruined version of her husband. His eyes were bloodshot, like devil's eyes, but dry as the desert. There were dark bags under his eyes, and she was pretty sure the clothes he was wearing were the same ones he'd worn when she'd walked out four days ago. His body was sagging and limp, no light in his eyes.

But he slowly shifted his eyes from the television to her, and her heart broke a little when she saw a little light of hope in his eyes. God, she'd nearly ruined him. Not for a second, until her father had pointed it out, had she considered what walking out on him would do to him. He hadn't followed because he couldn't, and now, he was a wreck.

"What do you want for dinner?"

He shrugged. "Whatever," he said, and his voice was cracked and hoarse. He winced slightly.

Steak and potatoes were on the table an hour later, and they ate in silence. She was in no rush to discuss, and he seemed to be following her lead. The chewed slowly, her brain churning with her observations.

She thought back to his words from days before. _You shouldn't want kids to prove a point._

He had a point, and if she'd seen it earlier, she might have saved both of them a lot of unnecessary pain.

She glanced at him from time to time, happy to see he seemed to be enjoying his meal. He helped himself to seconds on everything, and then thirds, and she wondered what he'd been eating for the past few days—he could barely cook to save his life, other than a few basic things. What would happen if she were to become suddenly ill, or even die? Would he starve?

Would he remember her as his darling wife, or the angry harpy who made his life a living hell?

He took her by surprise by helping her do the dishes. Wordlessly, he followed her with their plates into the kitchen, helping her load the dishwasher and tidy up from her cooking. They made their way upstairs slowly, flicking off lights as they went. The silence wore on into their bedroom, and she quickly slipped into the walk-in to change into pajamas. She realized with annoyance that she didn't have anything clean but lingerie. After poking through the drawers of her lingerie chest and digging in the back corners of her closet, she finally came across a vintage silk and lace nightgown she'd never worn. It still bore its tag. Carefully removing the little plastic tab and tossing it aside, she stripped, tossing her scrubs into the laundry basket, and pulled on the dark lilac gown. She clicked off the closet light and made her way to the bathroom.

Steam from the shower rushed out at her when she opened the door, and the scent of her husband, mixed in with his brand of soap, filled her nostrils. She didn't realize how much she'd missed him until now, when his scent saturated the air. Trying to keep her brain focused, she reached for her toothbrush, going through the unnecessary motions that had always comforted her, finishing up just as she shower shut off.

"Would you grab me a towel?" His voice was less raspy than before. The shower seemed to have done him some good.

She reached over to take a towel from the heated towel rack, handing it over and turning off the heat. He took it, muttering his thanks, and she made her way out, unsure why she suddenly felt exposed in something that went all the way to her ankles, and only showed skin at her neck and arms. Climbing into bed, she waited, pretending to read until he emerged, bare chested and wearing only a pair of tight boxers. She closed her book and set it aside as he climbed into bed, reaching over to shut off the light. Lying on her side, she half expected him to roll away. She was surprised, therefore, when he pulled her back so she was flush against his chest.

"C'mere." His breath was hot against her ear, and she shivered when his lips made contact with the soft skin just behind it. "Love you."

Rolling over, she reached up to twine her fingers in his hair. His hands slid down her sides, tugging her nightgown up around her waist.

It should have been sweet, nice homecoming sex. Instead, all she could hear in her head was his voice, telling her she tried to fix things with sex. She tried, she really did, but when he finally came, after what seemed to be a great deal of effort, she hadn't finished, and she didn't care.

Two hours later, he was snoring away, and it was midnight. Feeling oddly antsy, Renesmee climbed out of bed carefully, trying not to wake her husband. She brushed his hair back slightly to press a kiss to his forehead. He snorted and rolled toward her, but didn't wake. Making her way downstairs, she was a little confused. It had sounded like Jacob had been too miserable to do much of anything, but the house was oddly clean. She flipped on the living room light and sat on the couch, immobile for several minutes, until the sound of a car pulling into the drive pulled her from her thoughts.

Pulling in at quarter past twelve, it was Seth. Confused, she made her way to the front door to let him in. "Are you okay?" she asked as he slid out of his shoes.

"Yeah," he said, sounding confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just, it's midnight."

"I was on my way home and I saw your light on," he said, shrugging. "I may have taken a detour."

"I see."

He held up an opened case of beer, about a third of its contents gone. "Beer?"

It was midnight. She was confused, tired, and miserable. For the last three days, she'd been apart from her husband and now that she was back, nothing seemed right.

So, like the big baby she was, she burst into tears. Seth's eyes widened, but he put a hand on her back and gently led her to the back deck, which Jacob had had enclosed years ago. They sat on the low lounge chairs, case of beer between them, while she talked. Exactly what she said, she wasn't sure, but her beloved uncle seemed to understand.

"Hey now," he said, speaking when she finally trailed off by once more berating herself. "You're not _that_ bad, honey. You give yourself too much credit." He winked at her, draining his beer, and reaching for another.

"I left him alone, Seth," she groaned. The tears had stopped, but she still felt miserable. "He didn't even really do anything wrong, I just reacted badly. I know he doesn't want kids right now, no matter how good he thinks he is at lying. He's been trying to get me to see that for a while, but he didn't want to hurt my feelings. And it was what I wanted."

"But not what you needed." Seth frowned when a confused look crossed her face. "Okay, so, a lot of times, the things we want are harmless. Like, if I want a new phone, I get a new phone. Whatever. I probably don't need it, but I love having the newest phones. Hell, if it's not on the market yet, I'll buy it just to say I have it. It's a good feeling. Harmless, right?" Renesmee nodded. "Having a baby when you _want _it, for reasons similar to why I get many new phones in a year, isn't exactly harmless. That's all I'm saying." He took another drink, shifting uneasily in his seat when she stared at him, her face blank. "What?"

"I swear, you're like my conscience sometimes," she said, blinking. It was one of the reasons she loved Seth so much—without him, she would have done some really stupid things before now. "You really should consider a career in education."

"Maybe someday, when I'm old," he replied, kicking his feet up. "I'll teach college or something."

"You'd be good at it."

"Maybe."

They sat in silence for a while after that, before Seth broke both it and any remaining tension with one comment. "So what, exactly, _are_ you wearing right now?"

Renesmee burst out laughing for the first time in days, and it felt terrific. When she'd finally calmed down, she looked back at Seth's expectant face and managed an answer. "It's a nightgown. It's vintage."

He raised an eyebrow. "It's very..." There was a pause while he seemed to wrack his brains for the right word. "Conservative," he finally said, snapping his fingers. "That's the word."

She snorted. "It was the only thing in my closet that didn't show off eighty percent of my skin."

"Yikes." Seth crossed his ankles. "Eighty percent? I thought we talked about your unnecessary torture of my friend." His eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Right. Hence, the conservative purple thing."

"We need to get you back in some sweats."

"I wear scrubs all day," she whined. "It's nice to wear real clothes."

Seth rolled his eyes. "You don't need to wear scrubs all day," he said. "When are you going to figure out you don't need to work? Neither of you do."

"Jacob does." She smiled wistfully. "I'm fine sitting on my ass all day, but he needs to have a project."

"So quit your job." Seth shrugged. "You're moving in two months, so just tell them you need to plan for that."

"I'll think about it," she promised.

"Think I'm gonna head out," he said, smiling again at her, reaching over to ruffle her hair. She rolled her eyes, but allowed it. "Gotta catch some shut eye."

"It's only one." She raised her eyebrows. "Isn't that a little early for you? Don't you still have some poontang to chase down?"

"Nice. Work," he said, rolling his eyes. "Why is it that with age, comes work?"

"_You_ could afford a year off," she replied. "Financially and mentally. You're going to work yourself to the bone."

"And after this project is done, I intend to take six weeks. Get out, take a real vacation."

"Really?" She blinked. "Where are you going to go?"

"Not sure, but I was going to see if you guys wanted to come with." He winked at her. "Maybe you can find me a travel companion before then, too."

"I will not allow you to maul one of my friends," she said, rolling her eyes, but her brain had already taken the other direction. Nahuel's sister Jennifer was a nice girl who also operated on a rotating sex schedule—rotating someone old out for someone new on a biweekly basis, but working through men on the opposite coast. "But maybe I can find you someone."

"I was thinking that girl who was here for Thanksgiving a couple years ago," he said, looking thoughtful. "She looked like she knew how to have a good time. Not sure how we didn't hook up—she was giving me the eye all night."

Yeah, that was Jen. Lovely.

"I suppose I can arrange that."

_a/n Sorry this took such an ungodly amount of time—I had to scrap an entire thirteen page draft of another first because it SUCKED on such an epic level. It was thirteen pages of SUCK and I didn't feel like scrapping it at first, because it was eleven pages. I instead wasted more time trying to salvage my SUCK, but could not. But it was truly an thirteen (now fourteen) page SUCKFEST, so it just had to go. It was destroyed, and the gods cheered my sacrifice._

_Everyone thank dawnmac for the jumper cables that jump started this chapter. Reviews are like crack._


	33. Double Date Vacation: Pt 1

_a/n This is another one of those two parters, but it's got a clean break, so I'm publishing them seperately. The other one's not started, and won't be probably for a while, until I gather more research (because I have to make sure EVERYTHING is accurate, right down to the damn clothes), but in the meantime, I give you something I know and a city I love. I dedicate this first to the Big Easy, its coffee, and it's personality. Truly an amazing town, in an amazing state. If you haven't been, get the hell off your ass and go! Now read on, you dogs of fanfic! Read!_

_Sorry. It's been a long week. This is set a few months after the move to Princeton and "Drive-In," before Renesmee starts at Columbia._

_a/n 2: Repost! Thanks, d-mac :)  
_

_**DOUBLE DATE VACATION**_

_**Pt. 1-New Orleans**_

"So where are we going?" Jacob's voice was curious."I mean, I know the second half of this is on a beach somewhere, but where are we going first?"

"To a party," Seth said, holding tight to their tickets. "You guys have to promise not to look at your tickets before we get on the plane. You'll figure it out once we're on, anyway."

Renesmee wouldn't admit it to her husband, but her stomach was doing flip flops. She was excited. No longer in any hurry to get on with her life, she was now content to take six weeks away from her entire family, with the exception of her husband and friend-slash-uncle, and relax. Seth had said he had multiple destinations planned out for them, and had instructed them to bring swimsuits, because it would be quite warm after this first. For the first, Renesmee had packed for spring weather, as Seth had instructed, and she was very curious about this destination.

"I'm excited." Jennifer's voice, like hot honey, cut into her thoughts. "I have an excuse not to go to Carnival with my sisters."

"Isn't Carnival like Mardi Gras, but on steroids?" Renesmee had never been to either.

"It's great-it goes on for days. I just hate having to spend all that time with my sisters when I could be out by myself, or with anyone else but my sisters." She scrunched her nose delicately. "They're so..." She struggled for the words. "They're a little too savage for me." She smiled brightly at Renesmee. "I'm finding your way to be much more civilized. I mean, for God's sake, we live in the States, not in a jungle in South America with human traffickers and their goods nearby to eat." She shuddered. "I mean, Jesus, where's the fucking _humanity_ in that? Killing girls who've been captured for sex slavery and saying you're doing them a favor by killing them? Doing them a favor would be letting them go and killing the traffickers."

"But you'd enjoy Carnival if you went alone?" Seth's voice held some curiosity. Renesmee was a little surprised he hadn't made some kind of grand sexual advance toward her already, and was even more surprised that he seemed to be trying to get to know her.

"Oh, _God_, yes," she groaned. "I've even thought of going to Mardi Gras, just because I know they'd never travel up here for it when they have Carnival right in their backyard. Besides, Mardi Gras seems like more fun."

"How so?"

"Carnival lasts almost a week." She grinned at Seth, and there was a mischievous glint in her eye. "With Mardi Gras, it's one crazy day full of boobs, booze, and sex. Sounds like my kind of party." She winked.

Seth burst out laughing, and the two of them continued on ahead while Jacob and Renesmee fell back a little, giving them some privacy.

"So, did you think this was going to happen?" Jacob asked quietly.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm still expecting them to do it on the plane."

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She was shocked with neither of them left their seats for the entire flight. They chattered back and forth about a variety of topics, Mardi Gras being the predominant one.

Because this plane was headed toward New Orleans, Mardi Gras, two connected suites at the Roosevelt, and what Jen promised Seth would be the best two weeks of his life, because New Orleans was the greatest city in the country.

Stepping off the plane and out to where a limo with a stocked bar was waiting for them, complete with a driver holding a sigh that said, "Clearwater," Renesmee was inclined to agree. The hotel was about half an hour away, and they sped through the suburbs and into New Orleans proper. As they drove past the Superdome, it truly sunk in that tonight, she would be thousands of miles from any of her family, other than her husband. She would not see them for over a month.

And all the anxiety these thoughts had been causing her melted away when they pulled up in front of the hotel.

So _this_ was why people traveled.

The outside of the building screamed New Orleans, covered in ornate moldings and sharp, twisted iron. She knew from listening to Seth that the building had been more or less gutted by Katrina, but looking up at it, she decided you'd never know. Peering inside, she could see the golden glow of decadence, warm and inviting...

"Is that what I think it is?" Seth's voice sounded a little shocked.

"It is indeed." Jen's voice was amused, and turning, Renesmee saw the wry smile on her face. "Ironic, isn't it? They're all over, and they're so beautiful, looking out over the massive party."

Renesmee blinked up at the building with its domes at the top, and cocked her head. "It's a church," she said slowly. "Good Lord."

Jen snickered. "Pun intended?"

They made their way inside, through the opulent lobby and to the front desk, where Seth checked them in. This entire vacation was on him, and she got the vague feeling he was enjoying spending massive amounts of money again. He hadn't had a big splurge for several years, and even then, his bachelor life and inflated income had left him a lot of spare cash, which had accumulated to quite a small fortune.

It helped that he liked to let Edward play with his money in the stock market. Apparently, Renesmee's father was a pretty good investor, if the hotel was any indicator. They were led by a staff member up several floors to their suites, who after dropping them off with their luggage, left them to stare.

The place was luxurious. It was like walking into her grandmother's suite at home-warm and inviting. However, unlike her grandmother's room, this room had a mini-bar and a phone that hooked up to room service. The girls showered while Jacob and Seth ordered food, which turned out to be a comedy in and of itself. Renesmee could hear Jen's laughter, and she pulled on a plush robe, compliments of the hotel, making her way out of the insanely wonderful shower.

"What the _hell_ did you two order?" she asked, staring in shock at the spread that several uniformed men had wheeled in. There was everything from breakfast food to steak to apple pie.

The two men stared at her, seeming equally confused. Jacob pulled the lid off of a tray of pancakes. "What?" He rolled a pancake and ate it dry, no syrup or butter. "We were hungry."

Somehow, before the night was over, Seth had managed to score some pot, and the four of them drank wine and smoked while laughing excitedly about the days to come. Tomorrow, they would do a little touring, and the girls would shop in the afternoon while Seth and Jacob went golfing, swearing up and down they'd have to be hammered so as not to hit the balls as hard as they normally would. This sent Jen into hysterics, and the rest of them followed, passing the wine around again and toasting the beginning of six wonderful weeks.

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Jacob was having the most amazing dream. He'd had an amazing day, drinking coffee; taking a detour around ten in the morning and drinking hurricanes with a bunch of guys they'd met at the coffee place; playing two rounds of golf, absolutely drunk; coming back to the hotel to find his wife on the huge, plush bed in a bra and panties that did a delightfully pitiful job of concealing anything. Hell, the panties even opened up to say hello.

Then his eyes opened, and focused.

It hadn't been a dream.

His peripherals caught sight of the khakis he'd worn the day before, and the tool-looking polo shirt Seth had forced him into. On the other side, her panties hung from a lamp.

And on top of him was his wife, still in that fucking bra. He was barely awake, but his awareness zeroed in on the feeling of being inside her warm and welcoming body.

And fuck it if she wasn't giggling.

He reached back, finally sober and able to undo the bra, and she burst out in laughter, clenching and convulsing around him. He groaned, but managed to remove the lace.

"I believe that took you eight hours," she teased.

"I don't care how long it took," he muttered, pushing himself up into a sitting position. Her legs naturally folded around him, hooking his waist and pushing herself harder, and him, deeper. "Long as I get the damn thing off. Now I can _really_ see them." He buried his face in her breasts, inhaling her sweet scent.

It was over fairly quickly, but not without a great deal of screams, grunts, growls, and moans. After, Jacob showered quickly, leaving his wife in the bed to snooze for five minutes. They made their way out of the little bedroom and into their suite. Across the way, through the open doors that adjoined their rooms to those Seth and Jen were sharing, their travel companions were staring at them, looks of amusement on their faces.

Jen raised her coffee mug. "Atta boy, Jake."

"I'm gonna take a shower." Renesmee pressed her lips to his biceps. "I want French toast."

"Your wish, my command," he said, bowing grandly as he bent over her fingers, kissing them delicately. She giggled before darting off into the bathroom. Jacob turned his gaze back to Seth and Jen.

"Again, Jake," Seth said, shaking his head with amusement, "way to go."

"We just told her to make sure you were up by seven," Jennifer said. Jacob turned his eyes to the tanned girl, and saw her sapphire eyes sparkling. "That wasn't what we were going for, but hell, more power to ya. Now," she continued, rising from her chair at their dining table, "if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm going to follow my darling friend's lead and shower. I think I can _still_ smell airport on me." She scrunched her nose, then she was gone.

Jacob wasted no time. The entire subject was fascinating to him. "So, seriously, you slept on the couch again?"

"Dude, I told you," Seth said, making a face like his information should be obvious, "it would be bad form to jump to it right away. I mean, hell, we're going to be bunking together for six weeks. What happens if we hate each other? Or what happens if she's one of those girls like Ness, who's just like one of the guys?"

"Or, what if you actually wind up stuck in a room with her and start liking her?" Jacob rolled his eyes. "Horror of horrors. You forget, my friend, that we're not all meant to imprint. I really have this strong feeling that our generation's done. So relax-you won't break her heart."

Seth rolled his eyes. His continuing bachelor life was becoming a sore subject. Hell, even Embry had settled down with a nice girl from California, who had ditched the sunny surf to be at his side. Probably on her knees. Likely tied up from time to time...

Jacob made a face and reached for the coffee. Seth laughed. "What was that face?"

"I was just thinking about Embry and Amber."

Seth's face became very serious. "Dude, seriously, you _can't_ tell him I told you. It's not cool, man, it's like outing a gay person! You can't just talk about that shit, and-"

"Seth, calm down." Jacob shook his head. "I'm not going to say anything."

"Good."

"It's not really a conversation I want to have with him, anyway," he said, shuddering a little. "Awkward."

"It would suck if he were still phasing," Seth joked. "Everybody'd be stuck with the awkward. It's crazy enough we managed to keep it from Quil."

"Yeah." Jacob didn't respond to the joke, because the subject it brought up was one he had been thinking about quite a bit lately.

At twenty-seven, Seth and Quil were the only pack members still phasing. The others had gradually managed to stop with the addition of wives and families, and Quil was certainly next. Claire was growing up quickly, and Jacob figured he had five more years with him, at best. Quil had been clear, he would stop phasing to grow with her...

But Renesmee didn't grow, and Jacob continued to phase, running with her on her hunting trips.

And for reasons unknown to Jacob, Seth, with no ulterior motive, continued to phase.

Seth, who had no imprint and instead lived the life of a bachelor.

Seth, who had been the first one to join him, and would probably be the last one standing.

With no vampires to overhear him and his wife belting Foreigner in the shower, now seemed the perfect time to ask.

"Why _are_ you still phasing, Seth?" Jacob refilled his coffee and reached for the room service menu.

Seth shrugged, marking items he wanted on his own menu. "I guess I just hate the idea of you running alone, you know? I don't have anything to hold me back or stop me, and my mom and Leah understand. I'll probably have to move eventually, but I don't care. I really don't mind living this way. I like it."

Twelve years ago, Jacob would have sent Seth packing. Now, however, facing an eternity of being the only one of his kind, having Seth around for a few extra years didn't seem like such a bad idea.

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Renesmee had come to the conclusion years ago that Jen was a genius. Seth, it turned out, had very little else planned for the rest of their trip, because he knew Jen had been here a few times. So she would plan for them from tomorrow on, but today, she declared, they had to hit the streets for the parade.

It was one of the wildest things Renesmee had seen in her life. The floats were huge and ornate, the costumes were wild and over the top, and the crowd was fantastic. People cheered and scrambled as beads were chucked off the floats. Seth was laughing as Jen adorned herself with more beads, a grin on her face.

It was like the biggest party she'd ever seen.

The party ended at midnight, police coming out to clear the streets. The four of them headed back to the hotel, Jen and Seth laughing and leading the way. She was stumbling a little, and his arm was wrapped around her waist. Renesmee felt a little stab of pride when they were back in their room and she could hear Jen next door, trying to convince Seth to share the bed with her.

"Because you're not going to try and sleep," he'd laughed when she'd demanded a reason for his refusal, "and as much as I'd like to not sleep with you, I'd feel bad because I'm a guy and you're drunk."

The men were gone when Renesmee finally opened her eyes Wednesday morning. Full days of drinking tended to cause her to need more sleep, and she'd had eight hours by the time she wandered out into the suite. The dividing doors were open, and Renesmee made her way to where Jen sat, feet propped up on the dining room table. Her blue eyes, contrasting with her mocha skin, were fixed out the window, and she was shaking her head, a tiny smile on her face.

"And today," she said, handing Renesmee the lit joint she was holding, "they all flood to the church to repent for their sins. Curious thing, religion."

"You don't believe in God?"

"If there is a God, he's kind of an ass hole," Jen said, frowning now. "Killing my mother and leaving me with an insane father."

"Speaking of Joham," Renesmee said, glad for an opportunity to change the subject, "have you heard from him?"

"Nobody has," Jen said, "not for a year. It's odd-usually he keeps in close touch with my sisters, but they haven't heard from him since he went to Chile." The frown started to fade. "Maybe someone finally took him out."

"The Volturi?"

"I don't know." Jen shrugged. "Whoever it was, if they did kill him, they did everyone else a favor." Her eyes hardened. "We are _not_ abominations, but to create us with complete disregard to our mothers was a horrible thing. You were a surprise, and your father loves your mother so much that he found a way to save her. My father was selfish, only wanting what she could deliver, so to speak. And his care was never for my well being, but what I could do for him."

A smile had crossed Renesmee's face while Jen spoke. "If you were a man with an accent, you'd be Nahuel."

Jen smiled and hummed softly. "He's so good," she said, her head dropping back. "He saved me, you know."

"I know."

"We wouldn't be friends without him," Jen continued. "And I'd probably be in South America, killing slave girls."

"Disgusting."

"Absolutely. Especially when you consider the fact that we can just steal from the Red Cross, which is a sin in and of itself." Jen rose, joint in hand, and bowed toward the church. "Forgive me, Father," she intoned, her face very serious and voice deadpan, "for I have sinned." Renesmee snorted, and Jen finally smiled. "I _have_ sinned. I've been having very impure thoughts as of late." Jen passed the joint back, then lifted her water, fingering the rim. "I really thought this would be easier. Not that this way is bad."

"I expected you to have sex on the plane." Renesmee giggled. "Seth is being unusually chivalrous."

"I kind of like it." Jen looked thoughtful. "I mean, usually I just fuck guys and move on to the next, and they don't seem to care to try and be gentlemen or anything. And I swear, I saw Seth staring at my ass on Thanksgiving. I don't know why he didn't make a move-I was looking right back. He's cute."

"He wondered the same thing about you," Renesmee said, her voice a little teasing. "You're both so used to the other sex making the move, you guys wound up in a standoff."

"I put on the moves last night," Jen pointed out.

"And that's what I'm saying-unusual chivalry."

"Whatever. I'm digging it." Her white teeth flashing, Jen got to her feet. "I'm getting dressed, then going out to that coffee place in the French Quarter. You wanna come?"

"Sure." Renesmee glanced around. "Where did the guys go?"

"Golfing again." Jen rolled her eyes. "I think it's an excuse for them to get drunk and play a pseudo-sport."

Renesmee cocked an eyebrow. "I have an idea."

An hour later, showered, shaved, buffed, and dressed in matching outfits, Renesmee and Jen climbed into a cab and made their way to coffee. They sat, chatting and enjoying the looks from men passing by, checking them out, then their faces falling as they noticed the huge rock on Renesmee's left hand.

"This is funny," Jen said, sipping her coffee. "Honestly, we're just dressed appropriately."

"Yes, in tiny matching pink skirts with white shirts that emphasize cleavage."

"But we have visors," Jen said, pointing. "Takes away some sex appeal."

Looking up from her phone, Renesmee gave Jen a disbelieving look. "Seriously? You could be wearing a habit and you'd _still_ have guys staring at you."

Jen giggled. "Thanks."

"Ha!" Renesmee grinned. "Got it! They're on their way to the golf course now. If we hurry, we might catch them."

Jen's giggles increased. "You just quoted _Star Wars_," she choked out. Then she suddenly stopped laughing. "Wait. How do you know where they are?"

"Seth put software on my phone so I can find Jacob if I lose him," she said, grinning.

"He can do that?"

"It's Seth," Renesmee explained, shrugging. "The man does ungodly things with phones."

"Does he do phone sex?"

"I'm sure he would," Renesmee said, rolling her eyes.

Another cab ride found them at the entrance to the golf course, where they rented clubs and headed out in a cart, looking for Jacob and Seth. Renesmee had managed to send him a seemingly innocent text when they'd arrived, asking where he was. He'd responded that he was grabbing a drink at the clubhouse before teeing off in twenty minutes and that he loved her.

He was certainly going to be reminded in a moment that she loved him, too.

The pair were sharing a couple of beers at the bar. The place was pretty quiet. The weather outside was a little gray and foggy, but Alice had assured them that it wouldn't rain until tonight, Jake was explaining quietly to Seth. Perfect day for golfing and maybe messing around on the course, Seth was responding.

Then neither of them were talking about the weather anymore. Their eyes had refocused, and Renesmee could feel herself flushing pink at her husband's intense gaze. She knew how tiny the pink pleated golf skirt was, how tight the polo fit the curves of her torso.

"We thought we'd join you boys," Jen explained, pulling up the stool next to Seth's and crossing her legs. The skirt just covered her crotch. "What are we drinking?" Neither of them answered, and Jen cocked an eyebrow. "Come on, Seth, it's not like you've never seen a skirt before." She winked.

Then, like a spell had been broken, Renesmee observed Seth's mouth close, brow cock, and lip curl. "Black and tan."

"Sounds delicious," she said, grinning at him.

It was an interesting morning after that. The day passed in a crazy haze, unlike any she'd ever experienced before. The course was amazingly deserted, but she supposed that as it was overcast with a damp feel in the chilled air, it wasn't unusual. They probably looked insane, trotting around in tiny skirts, drinking and smoking, but fortunately no one was around to notice. It was hard to keep her hands to herself. Watching his muscles flex as he swung a club was almost too much, and she spent a good majority of the day in his lap, lips pressed to his, making out like they used to when they'd first started dating. The giggles permeating the air from Jen and Seth weren't enough to stop them, and their need eventually forced them off the course, abandoning Jen and Seth in favor of the big bed in their hotel room.

There, in the quiet of the hotel, he stripped her bare and worshiped her on his knees, making her cry out and scream. She lost count of how many times she came after he spent half an hour on his knees while she lay on her back, knees spread wide while her feet dangled over the edge of the bed. She was sure she blacked out a few times, the pleasure overwhelming her.

She wanted him in her, though, and finally, after what must have been hours, she felt him sliding in, filling the aching void.

It was perfect.

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The next morning, Jen directed their little troupe to the D-Day Museum. Renesmee stared around in awe, things she'd seen in pictures in Jasper's history books during her home-schooling coming to life in front of her face. There were life-size models of vehicles, representations of how many people were killed in various battles during World War II, and a crowd that was a diverse mix of younger people like themselves, and men that had actually _used_ these things.

Again, the thought popped into Renesmee's head-_this_ was why you traveled.

"Hey, Seth?" Jen's voice was a little faint, and her eyes were unfocused. Something was churning in her brain.

"Yes, Jen?"

"Would you be up for an adventure?" she asked. "Two days, three at the most. You'd need to be okay with staying somewhere else for a few nights."

"I am _always_ up for an adventure."

The adventure had them packing a few duffels and tossing them in the trunk of a rental car before Seth took the wheel, directed by Jen. She took them out of the city, making a phone call as they went, apparently securing their room.

After a while, civilization seemed to be fading into the bayou's version of rural towns-little tourist traps and fishing spots along a long causeway. It was unlike anything Renesmee had ever seen, and she stared out the window in amazement. She tuned out Seth's concern about their destination, and Jen's response that the place they were headed was amazing.

They had to cross water to reach Grand Isle, Louisiana, but the view from the deck of the house Jen had secured for them was beautiful. The sun set over the gulf created the most beautiful colors Renesmee had ever seen in a night sky, and it sent chills down her spine.

"Are you cold?" Jacob's arms wrapped around her from behind.

"No." She leaned against his solid form, inhaling the scent of him mixed with the salt water. She hummed. "I miss the ocean. It smells so good."

"It does." Jacob gazed out over the long beach, deserted but for two people walking, creating footprints in the sand that the gentle waves slowly washed away. "How far you think they'll go?" he asked, nodding to their friends.

"Down the beach, or sexually?" Jacob laughed, but she answered the more provocative of the two for him. "I don't know-she seems to really enjoy being courted for a change."

"Seth likes her," Jacob said. "She's kind of an enigma to him. He knows she'd go for it if he proposed sex, but it's like he thinks that's not good enough for her, like it's some kind of insult to both of their sensibilities." He sighed, and his arms tightened around her. "He's afraid to get attached, though."

Renesmee pursed her lips. "The longer nothing happens, isn't it less likely anything will?"

"That's the floating theory." Jacob rested his chin on top of her head, and she enjoyed the feeling of being so surrounded by him. "And the thing is, it doesn't even happen to everyone. It's not the _norm_, so to speak. Plus, Seth's always around vampires." Jacob smiled. "If his genes were going to kick in to make him procreate for the protection of the species, it would have happened by now. I think Seth's just meant to find a girl the old fashioned way-dating and time trials."

"Isn't it nice not to have to date?"

"I don't know," Jacob said, sounding thoughtful. He dropped a hand to point down the beach. "They look like they're having a good time."

They had plopped down in the wet sand, and the sound of their laughter drifted toward the little house on the breeze. Seth had draped an arm around her shoulders, and he was pointing out over the water.

"I feel like I'm intruding," Renesmee whispered.

"We're not intruding," Jacob insisted. "We're looking out for Seth's well being. Jen's good for him."

"This is true. I can't remember when I've seen him act like this around a girl."

"Always remember to keep an open mind," he said. "We used to think Embry was gay, after all."

"Turns out, he's just into a particular type of girl."

"You don't know anything."

"We never had any conversation about anything." She winked up at him.

"Okay," Jacob said, dropping his arms as Seth turned his head to stare at Jen, "now I feel like we're intruding."

"So let's go inside," Renesmee said, giving his hand a tug. She grinned at him. "I think I saw some good DVDs in there."

"Ones we've seen?"

"Yep."

"So, make-out movies."

Renesmee grinned, pulling him inside. "Make-out movies, indeed," she said, casting a final glance toward Seth and Jen, closer than ever under the evening sky.

_a/n So, there's that. I need this to get to the other half, and I know what needs to happen, I just need to pick a location._

_But first, I must go out of order. Perhaps I'll go forward, perhaps I'll go back. We shall see..._

_Still (always) taking requests! A lot of your ideas have been inspiration in some way, shape, or form for this story, so keep 'em coming! Review!_


	34. Jealous Remix

_a/n This has been requested several times now, and I've been wanting to go back to a younger, bitchy Renesmee again for a while. Hopefully this will shed a little more light about the inner workings of her brain-she really is just a normal teenager, and I know my teenage step-brother sure does hate to listen to our parents, as did I at his age. However, she's also Renesmee and a bit more mature than the average teen-hopefully, you get a glimpse of that from this, as well._

_Set about shortly before "Runaway," I give you, as thanks for your perpetually laudable patience..._

_**JEALOUS Remix**_

It had been a few years since Jacob had really wanted to kill someone, but today, that urge was present. His life would be so much easier if she would just stick to her beloved hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants when she was at school. Hell, if she lived her life in a long burlap bag, he'd be happy, but if he were being honest, it probably wouldn't help. If anyone in his school had been nearly as attractive as she was, there would have been staring and boys asking her out and making plans for when she turned them down yet again.

Like any day he had off when she was away at school, Jacob had followed her in, curling up out of sight of the school, but well within his range of hearing. It was warmer than was normal for the start of March. The snow was gone, and it was over fifty degrees. Cold if you were from the south, but to anyone in Minnesota, delightfully warm. Kids were wearing capris and short sleeves and spending their free periods outside. Around two, when Renesmee had a study hall, he watched her wander outside to a picnic table.

He still wasn't entirely sure when, but at some point, she'd started to develop into a woman who promised to be a bombshell. Her height matched her mother's, but he couldn't figure out where the curves had come from. Where Bella was slender with subtle, soft flares, her daughter's body already showed signs of being much more voluptuous. Long gone was the awkward body of her preteen days. Her breasts had started to flare a while back, and they seemed to get bigger by minute increments on a daily basis. Her waist was still as tiny as ever, but her hips had filled out more, and it was difficult for him not to notice.

It was difficult for _anyone_ not to notice. A growl bubbled up in his throat as a boy, some inconsequential little boy who would never stand a chance with her, made his way across the lawn to where she sat, working on some schoolwork. He leaned against the end of the table, trying to chat with her. She answered him politely enough, but cool as ever, that she had no intention of taking anyone, as she was not going. She had no interest in him...

Still, the fur on Jacob's neck bristled as the boy slid a little closer. He was talking about an upcoming dance, how he didn't have a date, even though several girls had asked him. It was Sadie Hawkins, he was saying, so he was hoping the girl he liked would ask him. His eyes didn't seem focused on her face, instead gazing at her chest. He brought his hand up to brush an errant hair out of her face.

And she blinked lazily up at him before saying bluntly, "I'm seeing someone. I'm sorry, but I'm not interested." Finished with the conversation, she snapped her book closed just as the backdoor to the school opened.

"There you are." Edward's face was the calm face born from years of practice. "I've been looking for you. You were supposed to meet me in the library, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Edward." Jacob could hear Renesmee's voice, flatter and duller than normal, betraying no emotion or surprise at his seemingly unexpected appearance. "I forgot."

"Write it down next time," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and guiding her back into the school. Jacob felt the hairs on his neck lower as Edward shot a withering look over his shoulder at the boy, who cowered a little. "That way you don't have to get accosted by low lives who aren't worthy of your time."

They vanished inside, and Jacob lay back down, resting his head on his paws. He lay there, enjoying the warmth afforded by mother nature, trying not to fall asleep. His phone buzzed a while later, and he phased back to read the text from Edward, instructing him to go home-he'd drop Renesmee by after school. He also promised to stick by her side like glue until the dance was over and done with.

That was fine with Jacob. Time to nap. He redressed himself before slipping covertly out of the trees and down to where he'd parked the truck that had once been Renesmee's. The smell of her invaded his nostrils as he drove home, still under the haze of jealousy.

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"Can I please be done?" She didn't even bother with pouting, small talk, or any of her usual tactics for buttering up her father. Hopefully, he could hear her frustration. They had just climbed in the car, waving to the others as they piled into Rosalie's car. She instead crossed her arms and sighed heavily as she gazed out of the window. "I hate high school."

"The year's almost over, darling." Her father's voice was placating, and it frustrated her. "It would look very odd if you were to withdraw now."

"So make something up," she begged. "Anything. You can say I ran off to join a convent or the circus or that I went crazy and just ran away. I don't care."

"Interesting, and tempting," he said, tapping his chin, a smile tugging at his lips. "But how about you finish this semester? Just this one, then you can stop."

"But I can't stand it!"

Edward winced. "Lower your voice, please."

"Oh, please." Huffing, Renesmee sat back in her seat. "You yell all the time. Seriously, if I have to overhear Anne talking about your butt one more time, I might have to contort her until she fits in her locker." Edward snorted at this. "And Danny Strozzi can jump off a cliff for all I care-he's such a skeeze! I mean, you should hear the things he does with these girls!"

"I hear just fine, thank you," Edward said stiffly, flipping the signal and going into a residential area on the edge of town. A few lone apartment buildings, brick and foreign against the trees, populated the street, with massive lawns between them. "And I wish you would lower your voice as the frequency is rather high, and painful to my ears. I will consider your grievances, but rest assured, you will more than likely be finishing out the year." He pulled into a parking lot and into a spot near the door. "Jacob will drop you off at seven."

"Seven?" Renesmee felt her mouth drop open. "What the hell?"

"Language," Edward scolded. "You're still grounded, young lady-you're lucky I let you out at all."

"I wasn't _that_ late," she whined, but she knew it was useless. She'd been having a little too much fun pushing his buttons as of late, and now she was paying for it. Knowing this didn't make listening to her father any easier-agreeing with him was out of the question. Her curfew had been far too early, considering the reasons for curfews in the first place were more or less void in her case. Still, getting out of the house and away from her parents for a few hours was a welcome reprieve, and she was grateful for it. It was probably better not to push her luck.

"You ought to take your own advice," Edward said dryly.

"Bye, daddy," she said, pouting as she took her bag and climbed out of the car. He sped away as she made her way inside and up the stairs to the top floor. She knocked twice on Jacob's door, opening it when she heard his voice announce that it was open.

For a second, she almost didn't go inside. She gave herself a once over.

It had been warm today, and she'd worn a skirt. She'd tossed it on with a plain t-shirt and a gray cardigan before dashing out the door, tossing her hair into a messy bun as she'd gone. Once again, she'd spent too much time arguing with her father to really put any effort into her appearance, and for school, she was fine with that. She'd been putting less and less work into her appearance lately, but if anything, she felt like the boys were hitting on her more. Rosalie insisted that this was because by dressing down, she was more like them and less of an unattainable goal.

Now, though, faced with Jacob, she felt like she should have put a little more work into her appearance. She hadn't seen him in two days, and she missed him. He certainly missed her-he'd sent her eight texts and called twice just to make sure she was fine, eating and sleeping and fighting with Edward. Now, here she was, and it looked like she didn't even care.

The door opening broke her from her musings, and she laughed as she felt herself being hoisted up into a pair of strong arms and swung around into the apartment.

"I feel so lame," he said, "but I've been bored. Place is too quiet without you screaming at the TV."

Renesmee sighed. "It's baseball season again, Jake. The screaming isn't going to stop until November."

"November, eh?" Jacob cocked a brow as he set her back down on her feet. "What makes you think they'll pull through until November?"

"Our investment continues to pay off," she smirked, and Jacob scowled. "Adam continues his constant pounding of a homer in two out of three games, and it's still early. He's a machine."

"Whatever." Jacob shook his head, and his hair, grown out from it's cut two months ago, flopped in his hair. "I'll ask Alice, and I'll bet you anything they don't make it."

"Fine. If I lose, I have to do your laundry for a month." Jacob laughed victoriously. "_Or,_" she continued, narrowing her eyes, "if _I_ win, you have to convince my dad to get rid of my grounding."

"I will take that bet. And if the Mariners win, it's double the laundry."

"Deal." Renesmee sighed, shaking his hand. "Even though now I feel like I just jinxed it."

"You probably did." He smiled, and nodded at the TV, where a White Sox spring training game was playing. "Your boyfriends are calling your name over there."

"I love that you got MLB Network." Renesmee plopped herself down on the couch.

"It's for me too, you know," he teased. "But rock on. We don't play until later tonight." He nodded at her. "You look nice."

"I look like crap." She scowled. "It doesn't matter, though. I dress like something out of the back of my closet, and I _still_ get hit on. I finally had it with Danny Strozzi today, though-told him I wasn't interested." She cocked her head curiously when Jacob's nostrils suddenly flared. "What?"

"I know," he muttered, picking up the mail off an end table and sorting through it, but not really looking at it. "I was sitting outside the school because I was bored. And worried. I don't like how those boys look at you."

"They can't hurt me, Jacob," she said, rolling her eyes. "No one wants to admit they were beat up by a girl, so I'm sure no one would rat me out. You're sweet to worry, though."

"Those boys need to learn to take no for an answer," he insisted. "I'm picking you up from school tomorrow. I'll take my break at three."

"That's silly." Renesmee felt her face flush a little. "You don't need to do that. If anything, I can probably get Emmett to scare them off if I really need to. He's there during the day."

"Exactly." Jacob tossed down the mail, scowling. "He's there, and I'm not. I'm stuck in that damn shop." His voice held a hint of something...

He was jealous.

She nearly laughed, but she forced it back in. It wasn't her job to laugh at Jacob-it was her job to support him. It would _always_ be her job. "And you being in that shop is a vital part of us looking normal. People see you at work, out in the daytime, eating and drinking with the guys, and it's normal to them. Then they see you with us, and figure _we_ have to be normal because _you_ are such a normal guy."

Jacob's scowl had turned into a pout. "Yeah, I know."

"Daddy said there's been less people thinking oddly of us here, and he thinks it's to do with you." She gave him her best proud smile. "We won't have any problems here, and the Volturi won't bother us at all. That's something none of those boys can offer me, so why would I even give them the time of day?"

The pout faded into a small smile. Jacob stared at her for a moment before saying, "You're a good egg, kid."

"I know." She turned back to the game. "Now text Alice. I want to know how much laundry I have to do."

_a/n Would you believe me if I told you I'm too busy to even have a life, but I love you all so much, I continue to write? I'm a people pleaser-using my talents to brighten the day of someone else makes me happy. So make me happy and let me know what you think._


	35. Private School

_a/n Hello, again! I've been having trouble sleeping lately, so you get to reap the benefits of what goes on in my mind during those times. This is set far ahead of anything else I've done, but I think I've laid enough ground work to start getting into this. Enjoy! Set 25 years after BD, and ten years after "Haircut." _

_**PRIVATE SCHOOL**_

"Remind me again why I agreed to spend a year in a Catholic school with a bunch of vampires," Jacob grumbled, pulling on the black slacks and polo that would be his uniform for the next nine months.

"You tell me." His wife's voice floated out from the closet. "I asked and you said you would."

"Exactly." He sighed, tying his shoes. "What was I supposed to do, say no? There's no reason to say no."

"You can still back out." She came out of the closet, and his eyes locked on the bare skin of her legs. "There's time." She smiled, straddling his lap and pressing her lips against hers. Groaning quietly, he leaned back against the bed, keeping her wrapped in his arms. She giggled against his lips when a soft thud on the ceiling of the room below them sounded.

"There's not time for _that_," Alice called up, and her voice was mildly annoyed. "We're going to a Catholic school with the horniest people I know," he heard her grumble to Jasper. "This is going to be an unmitigated disaster."

Jacob rose, putting his wife back on her feet and pressing his lips to her forehead when she pouted. "Alice has a point. It's a Catholic school. We have to behave." He stared down at her skirt again. "Aren't you allowed to wear pants?"

"Yes." She grinned, turning and shaking her butt at him. It made the pleated skirt flare a bit and show off the backs of her thighs. "It's just more fun to torture you."

"You're a bitch."

They were starting the year with the rest of the school, but if Jacob thought that would distract from them at all, he was wrong. There were only five of them, as Edward, Bella, and Jasper had opted to sit this school cycle out to reduce suspicions. But, as Alice had put it, four of them were the ones most likely to get in trouble for having sex on school grounds. Already, Emmett and Jacob were nudging each other's sides and pointing out secluded areas here and there while their wives and Alice trotted on ahead. Alice was shooting annoyed looks over her shoulder at them before averting her eyes again.

If Jacob had thought because these were Catholic students they would spend less time staring at his wife, he was dreadfully wrong. If anything, the forbidden fruit being paraded in front of them in skirts was more appealing than normal. The combination of Rosalie and Renesmee, which Jacob and Emmett had long since deemed a dual road hazard for any passers by, proved tempting to many of the male students, even with Emmett's arm tossed over his wife's shoulder.

"I feel shorter without Bella," Alice sighed, and Jacob reached out to ruffle her hair, laughing when she barely had time to duck.

"Don't worry," Jacob reassured her, "we'll take care of you. I can carry you on my shoulders, if you want. Then you can know what it's like to have to duck when you go through doorways."

Alice giggled. "This is me," she said, pointing at a door. Posing as a sophomore, her classes were below theirs. She'd have a two with her "junior" sisters, and PE with Jacob and Emmett, but the rest were on her own. Jacob's entire schedule lined up with fellow senior Emmett's, which he was happy about. At least if he was stuck in this place, he had a friend to keep him company.

The morning dragged, and Jacob was reminded once again of how much he hated high school - the placating teachers, the annoying school work, and the rules. Rules and procedures for _everything_. It made him envy Jasper, sitting on a computer taking classes with Yale. Nobody was telling _him_ to sit up straight and be a good Catholic. Hell, he didn't even know much about Catholicism. Rosalie, having been raised Catholic as a child, tried to fill them in as much as she could. She'd taught them all the prayers, and Jacob was a little confused about why God should care how many times you say "Hail, Mary" in a row. Wasn't once enough? Hell, he decided, sitting in mass with his wife, he'd settle for twice. The pageantry just didn't make sense to him.

His last class of the day a Catholic history class, and he'd been looking forward to it all day, because it was the one class he had with his wife. Somehow, the school had put the Hale sisters, Cullen siblings, and Jacob in the same class. Maybe it was because they had enrolled a little late, but they all thought it was a riot.

"It's too bad Jasper isn't here," Rosalie lamented as she slid into a seat next to her husband's, sitting sideways in the chair and crossing her legs. "It's always fun when he points out the inaccuracies of the history texts."

"I've always enjoyed learning the influences of vampiric culture on history, myself," Renesmee murmured, too quietly for their classmates to hear.

Alice giggled softly as their teacher entered and began passing out their text for the year.

The rest of the day passed too slowly, and Jacob had a hard time paying attention to anything their teacher was saying. He was too busy watching his wife's movements as she crossed, then uncrossed, then recrossed her legs. The skirt would start to ride up, but she would tug it down before it got too far. He appreciated that this kept the other boys from staring at what was his, but his mind was made up - when they got home, he was bending her over, flipping it up and getting her out of her panties as quickly as possible.

The bell rang at three thirty, and it wasn't a second too soon. Just like he always had after high school, he went to his locker, gathered his things, and made his way toward the door. But unlike he had in his first experience, now he got to go to a girl's locker to pick her up and escort her to his car. He'd always been a little jealous of those guys, so the experience was welcome to Jacob. He pressed a kiss to her temple as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Good first day?"

"Lovely." She shoved a text in and pulled another one out, perhaps a bit more violently than was usual. "You were right, baby, let's just stay home."

Jacob laughed, squeezing her waist a little. "We can't live in bed, honey," he teased. "It's bad form."

"I don't care." She slammed the metal door shut, and the sound was as familiar as the smell of the ocean. "Do you know how many times today I've had to resist the urge to put a writing utensil in a boy's eye?"

"An eye for an eye," Jacob intoned solemnly. They made their way out into the parking lot, waving goodbye to Alice, Emmett, and Rosalie as they piled into Alice's Lexus. They made their way to Jacob's latest reincarnation, which he'd kept for himself rather than selling. It was a 1990 Mazda RX-7. She'd given him a little crap when he'd turned forty, and he'd responded by rebuilding a car as old as he was. It wasn't even anything overly special, but it was a fantastic restoration. It had been a rust bucket when he'd bought it, but he'd build a brand new custom engine that, with Rosalie's help, stayed true to the original but cranked out a lot more power than it would have ordinarily.

She smiled at him when he opened the door for her, and climbed in slowly, sitting down with her feet on the pavement before slowly putting in first one, then the other foot, spreading her legs just for a moment, but just enough for him to see that which had been eluding him all day - a pair of nude colored panties that hid her from view, but still teased at what lay beneath. She smirked at him when both of her feet were on the floorboard of the car and buckled her seat belt. Carefully, trying not to use too much force, he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. Neither of them spoke as he drove out of town, taking a different route than Alice had. Renesmee had to have noticed this, but she didn't comment on it. Her eyes were fixed in front of her, but he knew her eyes well enough to know when she was focusing on her peripherals, like she was right now. He pulled off into a rugged path that looked like it had once been a driveway. He'd found it hunting weeks ago, and as he'd suspected, the overgrowth hid his black car nicely.

He'd barely shut the car off before Renesmee was reclining her seat and rolling into the back. He watched, unbuckling his pants. Once she was situated, he climbed back after her, landing on top of her, with a soft grunt. She shifted so her legs were spread, and he made use of the minimal space as best he could, tugging on her panties.

"Rip them," she ordered, her eyes fiery with desire. Desire for him.

He gave no argument, tugging lightly. They tore against her velvet and iron skin like crepe paper. He unzipped his pants quickly, grinning down at her. She brought her feet up, using them to shove down his pants. He watched her legs move, flexing and bending at his sides. Once he was released, he gently lifted her knees. She smiled, getting the idea, and she pulled her knees up to her chest, relaxing her legs back over her head. She was more or less folded in half, and he slid inside her welcoming body with relief. A groan escaped her lips, and he knew why.

"You're so tight like this," he groaned, and his head fell back. His hips rocked forward again, and she let out a soft cry of pleasure.

"We have to be fast," she gasped, her fingers reaching up to wrap in his hair as he started moving against her.

"Got it." His voice was low and raspy, and he let his hips piston back and forth, the sound of his skin slapping rhythmically against hers filling the back seat, along with her cries and his grunts, and the potent scent of sex. "Fuck," he growled, his head tilting forward. "I love you."

She was gasping, her mouth hanging open. "Harder," she moaned, and a laugh, laced with slight desperation, slipped from his lips. The car rocked around them, and he wondered what they must look like to anyone who happened to pass them by. The glass had already fogged a bit, and the rhythmic movement of the little car was certainly a dead giveaway to what was going on inside. Regardless, he increased his speed, her soft screams music to his ears. He reached up, tugging on her shirt and pulling it from where it was tucked into her skirt. Sliding his hands up the curves he had memorized, he easily unhooked her bra and slid his hands to the straps and sliding them down under the sleeves and easily down her arms, which were curled for him to do so.

It wasn't long before they reached their conclusion together, panting and groaning and swearing and crying out declarations of love. Jacob's head fell against her calf, where it rested against his shoulder. "I've been waiting to do that all day," he groaned, his eyes falling shut. Her girlish giggles were like music as they filled the back seat, and he opened his eyes to stare at her. Her cheeks were flushed, and she wore a huge smile that made his chest swell with pride. Carefully, even though she was less breakable than him, he let her legs down from his shoulders.

"Well, that was dumb," she said suddenly, blinking as she sat upright. "I have to go home in this ridiculous skirt with no panties. I'm wearing pants tomorrow."

"No panties, and you smell like me," he retorted, laughing when she scowled at him before climbing back up into the front seat. He inclined the driver's seat forward and up, reaching to open the door so he could climb out. "And tomorrow," he ordered, "you'll wear the skirt again."

He was restarting the car and about to back out when her phone rang. It was the generic ring tone, not one that was assigned to any one person. She fished it out as he pulled out of the little drive and back onto the road, which was, as usual, deserted.

Jacob watched as a small smile pulled at her lips, and she answered the call cheerfully. "Hello, Jennifer."

Jacob fished out his own phone, checking it to see if he'd missed any calls from Seth. There was nothing, so he put it back in the center console. He could hear Jen as clearly as if Renesmee had the phone on speaker, and she was asking if Renesmee was alone.

"No." She smiled over at her husband, and Jacob gave her a grin in return. "Jake's here."

"You might as well put me on speaker," she said, and her voice sounded... something. It was like a mix of emotions, none of which he could put his finger on. Frowning slightly, Renesmee allowed the phone's sound to clearly resound through the car.

"Alright, you're on." In the brief glance she gave him, Jacob could see the concern in his wife's eyes.

"So, I think I'm okay with this," she said, speaking much more slowly than was usual for her. "I mean, it's not like it's something I expected to happen, and it's great, I just have to adjust to the idea."

"Oh, my God." Renesmee's eyes were wide. "Is Seth okay?"

"Seth's fine," she laughed, and Jacob could hear the mixed emotions again. "Oh, God, he's great, but I haven't even said anything to him yet, so that's why you can't say _anything_ to him until after I do, Jacob Black." Her voice was suddenly stern.

Jacob blinked, retracting his hand from where it was reaching for his phone. He'd been about to text Seth to find out if she was okay. How she knew, he wasn't sure, but Jacob had stopped questioning Jen years ago. There was nowhere on earth a better judge of character. It was to the point that Carlisle had long since hypothesized that perhaps it was her gift.

"Alright, I'll keep my mouth shut and my hands to myself."

"And no phasing."

"No phasing." He paused when she said nothing. "It's not going to be very long, is it?"

"No, I'm going to talk to him tonight." Jen sighed. "I just... I need to talk to _somebody_."

"Jen, what's wrong?" Jacob was only slightly surprised to see tears starting to form in his wife's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, laughing exasperatedly. "Healthy as a horse - never better." She took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. "I..." She paused, and Jacob held his breath. "I think I might be pregnant."

There was silence in the car. Jacob felt his body go numb, and he pulled to a stop, realizing that they were in the Cullen driveway. He shut off the engine, and they sat for a solid minute before anyone spoke again.

"Hello?" Jen's voice was confused. "Ness?"

"I'm here." Her voice came out in a rare rasp, and she cleared her throat slightly. "I heard you." She blinked for a moment before her nursing brain appeared to kick in - perhaps that had been part of the reason Jen had called Renesmee instead of her lover. "What makes you think you're pregnant?"

"I just feel like I should have gotten a period by now," Jen said, and her voice was a little shaky. "I know it's not a regular thing, but it's at least twice a year. I haven't had one for a year. My sisters didn't stop until they were a lot older than I am, and I just... I feel..."

"Pregnant." Renesmee's eyes were closed. "Female intuition."

"What do I do?"

"Did you take a test?"

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

Jen laughed nervously again. "That's the wild thing - it didn't put out a result at all. I tried four of them, and nothing showed up. It was like I put air on the damn things - there was no result in the window, just like before I took it." She took another deep breath, and it went out shakily.

"Okay." Jacob glanced at his wife, seeing her eyes still firmly closed and her brow slightly furrowed. He wondered what she was thinking about, especially when Edward emerged from the house, eyes wide, and a very confused Bella following just behind. "Maybe that's just our genetics. I took one before, though, and it read negative, so I don't know what no result means."

Edward darted back inside and returned five seconds later, Carlisle at his side. Carlisle's face was confused as Edward directed him to the car, and Renesmee's eyes shot open, zeroing in on her grandfather. Relief flooded her face. "Jen? I want you to talk to Carlisle." Her voice booked no refusal. "I'm taking you off speaker."

They scrambled from the car, and Renesmee proceeded to actually shoo her father back inside. "Mother, shield, please. It's nobody's business right now but hers."

"Shield who?" Bella asked, her voice full of the confusion that was so clear on her face.

"Carlisle."

Bella didn't ask any more questions, and the look of frustration on Edward's face indicated the cutoff of his access to Carlisle's thoughts. He didn't argue, though, or speak, as they made their way inside.

Most of the others took little notice of their entrance, carrying on with a rowdy game of Apples to Apples. Only Jasper glanced over, their stirring emotions surely a red flag to him that something was going on. Renesmee sat down on the stairs, staring blankly ahead at the front door. Jacob sat down next to her, and she reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. Her thoughts immediately flowed from her mind to his. Her thoughts were a mix of trepidation and joy and sadness and jealousy. His mind quickly sorted through, identifying each concern in turn.

Trepidation. That they knew of, there had never been such a thing as a pregnant vampire hybrid. Mixed with Quileute blood, what kind of child would they produce? A new thought for her - if they had torn apart their mothers, what would this child do? She pushed this thought aside though, moving through her emotions.

Sadness. It was barely present, though, cast aside like the pointless emotion she'd deemed it to be. Jacob felt a little pride flare in his chest. Long gone were the days of the woman who pined for a baby for which she wasn't ready. If she was meant to have children, it would be when it was right.

Jealousy. But like the sadness, she quashed it quickly. It would do nothing, she rationalized, but eat at her, and how silly was it to be jealous when there were so many other important things to consider?

Other things, like her joy. Her happiness was overwhelming, and it flooded his very soul. Such a thing was possible, and the relief of this knowledge mixed well with the happiness. She would be an aunt, and a child would bring so much happiness to their dearest friends. The rest of their old pack mates were married with children. It was no secret Seth and Jen had no intention to marry - as they put it, they refused to bend to the will of societal pressure to form a union society put so little stock in to begin with. They were together, and that was what mattered to them. Jen had once said she felt married to Seth the first time they made love, and while it had bordered on being too much information, Renesmee had understood. Both of them had put their sex-crazed selves aside to get to know each other, and it had resulted in a year of abstinence on both their parts. That said, once they'd started, they'd never stopped. She'd left her listless life in Ohio to join him in Miami, where he'd been living at the time, and they'd been together ever since. There was no question of their commitment to each other, and a baby would only cement that further.

In an unconscious movement, Jacob reached up to turn her face to his, leaning in to press his lips hard against hers. _This_ was the woman he had married, and she was incredible. Fifteen years ago, she would have thrown a fit at news like this, but now, at just twenty five, she was in some ways older than he.

He pulled away after a minute before smiling at her. "We should get changed. This stupid shirt is pissing me off."

Finally, a smile. She laughed, and the sound was filled with relief. He lifted her into his arms and she squealed. He carried her into their bedroom before setting her on her feet. She smiled at him before disappearing into the closet. Jacob rooted through his dresser for his favorite jeans, one ear trained on the closet. He was waiting for tears, or a cry of frustration, but none came. She emerged in a pair of skinny jeans and a black cotton shirt, barefoot and smiling.

A soft knock at the door diverted their attention from each other, and she opened the door, peering out at Carlisle where he stood with a small smile, holding out the phone. She stepped out to take it, still smiling.

"She'd like to speak with you a bit more," Carlisle said, before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "How was your first day?"

"It was alright." She covered the speaker with her hand and wrapped both arms around her grandfather. She propped her chin on his chest, pouting up at him. "I wish I was at work with you, though. Catholic school sucks."

Carlisle chuckled as she let him go, turning back into their room. She smiled at Jacob again before lifting the phone to her ear. "Hey, love. Want me to kick out my husband for a few minutes?"

"No, it's alright." Jen's voice was much more relaxed than it had been. She sounded almost happy.

"What did Carlisle say?" Renesmee situated herself cross-legged next to Jacob, where he had stretched out on the bed.

"He thinks I'm right about being pregnant, but he doesn't think there's anything to worry about. He said at this point, I'm probably a few months in, and if nothing crazy has happened yet, it's unlikely it will. He's going to come over before work to double check, but he said it's the thing that makes the most sense." Her words were coming faster now. "I mean, I have other symptoms. I can't _stand_ the smell of coffee these days, and I _love_ coffee." She sounded a little sad about this. "My boobs hurt a little, and they're swollen. I'm so tired all the time, but I'm sleeping like shit."

The smile that had made a home on her face grew wider. "Oh, my God, you're pregnant."

"I know." Jen's voice was awed. "But do you realize this means I have to go without sex at some point?"

Renesmee burst out laughing, and Jacob watched her eyes dance with mirth. "You would worry about that."

"I'm not worried about me," she said, her voice serious. "I'm worried about Seth. I don't want it to fall off, you know?" The laughter had doubled now, and Jacob chuckled as his wife shrieked, her head falling back and tears forming in her eyes. "I mean, really," Jen continued, clearly enjoying creating her friend's lack of airflow, "you know how he gets. He's like a teenage boy."

They talked for a while longer, Jen continuing to cause his wife to burst into delightful peals of laughter. They wound down when she announced with sudden trepidation that Seth was pulling into the driveway of their lake house.

"You'll be fine," Renesmee reassured her, her voice sincere. "I'm so happy for you, baby."

"Thanks." A final deep breath and exhale completed, Jen said goodbye and went to deliver her news to Seth.

Renesmee stared at her phone, shaking her head and smiling slightly. She turned her head to the side, looking at him with a quirky grin on her lips. "Well, what do you know about that?" She tossed the phone onto the bed, still smiling.

Jacob closed his eyes, suddenly feeling like a nap was in order, relaxed completely from the churning emotions of the past twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes. That had been all it had taken to completely change his world.

They could conceivably have children. Seth was going to be a dad.

And his happy, smiling wife, taking his hand to show him her joy. Perhaps someday, they could have children; but even if they never did, she would have this moment of happiness for her friend who deserved the best, after nearly starting life with the worst.

His wife was amazing.

_a/n Did you like it? Did it appease you? Are you sexually satisfied? Let me know._


	36. Break

_a/n Greetings, friends and lovers! There's a new outtake up you'll like if you like the Seth and Jen story line. As it is, there's also a lot of information in there you won't get from this story. I view Seth as having taken on a role as Jacob's deputy, seeing what's what and gathering what information he can about anything pertaining to Jacob's extended family. I like to think Seth is very good at this._

_Hope you like this! We're going back to childhood. This takes place a little before the Christmas after "Birthday." Enjoy!_

_**BREAK**_

Jacob sat on the couch next to a little girl who appeared to be around six or seven. Long ringlets danced around her round, flushed face, and she wore a huge smile on her face. She was watching, with bright eyed interest, as her uncle whittled her a little Christmas ornament. She'd seen Jacob do this before, but for some reason, watching Seth do it seemed even more fascinating to her.

Her voice was very serious as she asked, "Did your daddy teach you to do that like Billy taught Jacob?"

Seth's hands paused for a second and he glanced up at her. They started up again as a smile spread across his face. "He sure did."

"That's good," she said, nodding her head. Bronze ringlets bounced wildly around her head, and Jacob vaguely wondered when had been the last time that Edward had managed to get a brush through her hair. She wasn't paying any attention to him, so he reached slowly for where a soft brush sat on the coffee table. "It's nice you have something to do to remember him."

"I also have his fish fry recipe." Seth grinned. "Handed down from father to son for generations. It's top secret."

"It's very good," she said, smiling. She was acting so polite right now, Jacob thought, but how long it would last was anybody's bet. "I don't like fish, but yours is yummy."

"Well, thank you, darling."

Jacob's fingers closed around the brush, but before he could even lift it, her dark eyes darted to him before narrowing. A second later, she was perched on the back of Seth's chair, and the little brat was actually _hissing_ at him.

"Dammit, kid," he growled, putting down the brush and getting up. "Your dad's going to be home tomorrow. You want _him_ to go at that rat's nest? You know how impatient he can get."

"No," she snarled, before resuming her hissing.

Seth had stopped whittling and was looking back and forth between the two of them, seeming to struggle with holding back a smile. "I can't believe she's hissing at you." He turned to Renesmee. "What's up, kid?"

She scowled, but stopped hissing. Reaching down, she pressed one of her little hands to Seth's cheek, and after a second, he burst out laughing. "Alright," he chuckled, "I see your point."

"Hey!" Jacob frowned at his friend. "What the hell, man? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get her to sit still long enough to brush her hair?"

"I can do it myself!" A second before she moved, Jacob made a tackle for the hairbrush, and got there a split second before she did. He held it high over his head, triumphant, while she scowled up at him from the arm of the couch. "Give it!"

"You only brush the top," he reminded her for the thousandth time. "You have to brush underneath, too. You've got a lot of hair, kiddo."

"Give it!" She jumped, and he jerked his arm down and away before swinging it back up as she descended back to the floor.

Jacob sighed heavily. Seth had a full on grin on his face. This was ridiculous. "How about this," he said, desperate. "I'll wrestle you for it. If you win, you can brush your hair and deal with your dad when he gets home. If _I_ win, you have to sit still the whole time while I brush your hair."

"Come on, Jake, she's tiny." Seth rolled his eyes, picking up his whittling again. "You'll kick her ass."

"She's tiny," he said dramatically, "but she's pretty tough."

"I am." Renesmee lifted her chin, a little defiantly. She studied him for a second before she held up one tiny hand. "Deal."

He shook her hand and walked over, putting the brush on the table next to Seth. "We'll be back."

Seth frowned. "Where are you going?"

Renesmee sighed, and it almost made Jacob laugh. "Mama says we have to play outside." She stuck out a bottom lip. "She's afraid we'll break furniture."

Seth laughed and followed behind them as they made their way into Bella and Edward's front yard. Snow blanketed the entire property, and Jacob had a fleeting concern that the pair wouldn't make it back on time. Then he shook his head - no need to worry. These people were so used to snow, it was a little frightening. Soon, Bella would be home, and she could tame the little monster that was her daughter.

Because it wasn't that Jacob didn't love the kid. It was just that there was only so much Baby Edward he could handle on his own. Five days seemed to be about the max, for now.

"Alright, kid," he said, making a show of getting limbered up, "remember, if I win, I get to brush your hair. If you do, you can do it, but you have to do a good job."

She didn't say anything, but she crouched down, baring her teeth and growling quietly at him. Up on the porch, Seth dusted some snow off the porch bench and sat down to watch the show. Jacob grinned - he had no intention of losing. It made him feel a little bad, but he really did have to brush her hair.

"Normal rules apply," he reminded her, crouching down a little. "No biting." Still no answer. Her dark little eyes were focused and determined. "On three. One... two..." She tensed, and he braced himself. She looked pretty bent on kicking his ass. "Three."

He barely had time to dodge out of the way when she shot forward at him, but he was able to catch her easily. She shrieked with laughter as he snatched her out of midair and lightly tossed her back into a snow drift.

Nobody would ever be quite sure how what happened next happened.

His first thought, oddly enough, was not one to register pain. It was a thought of, _Oh, fuck, I have to let her brush her hair._

The next thing he noticed was the sound of her crying. Tears flowed down her pink cheeks as she pressed her little hands to his face. He was overwhelmed with images of himself prone on the ground, his right leg bent back at an odd angle. Seth was on his other side, but Jacob couldn't hear his voice.

Because as soon as he realized it was broken, the pain set in. He hissed sharply, and Renesmee's tears doubled. "Oh, God, sweetie," he groaned. "Please don't cry, honey."

She was _sobbing_. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen from her. "I'm sorry," she blubbered. "I didn't mean to. Please don't be mad at me, Jacob, _please_?"

"I'm not mad." Jacob gritted his teeth. The only thing worse than a broken leg, it seemed, was a broken leg and a bawling, one year old, half-vampire imprint. "Can you do something for me, kiddo?" She nodded, and her curls bounced wildly around her face. Her big bottom lip jutted out as she tried to stifle her tears. "Can you bring me my phone? It's on the kitchen counter."

She was off like a shot, and Jacob groaned, leaning back farther into the snow. "Fuck," he groaned, feeling his eyes water.

"How bad is it?" Seth's voice was amazingly calm for a sixteen year old kid. Jacob had to remind himself that Seth wasn't that much younger than him.

"It's bad." He grimaced. "Feels like multiple bones, and I can feel it starting to try and heal already. Carlisle's going to have to rebreak it." He let out a half cry, half moan. "Fuck, it's gonna _kill_."

Renesmee was back, phone in hand, and she gave it to Jacob. He started to dial, but realized a line had already been connected. Jacob could hear Carlisle's clear voice saying his name. "Jacob?"

"Hey, doc." Jacob reached over to pat Renesmee's head. She was still whimpering, and she scooted in a little to pat at his arm, trying to comfort him. It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen in his life, and he ruffled her hair a little. "Can you get over here? My leg's busted and it's already starting to set."

"I'm on my way." Jacob could hear the rush of wind as Carlisle ran through the wilderness. "Renesmee was very upset - she said she ran into you too hard?"

"I guess," he said, sighing and grimacing again when the motion caused a fresh shot of pain to shoot up his leg.

"How much pain are you in?" Carlisle's voice was quick.

"A lot." Jacob groaned again, unable to keep it contained. "Please tell me you have drugs," he begged, his voice thin and desperate. "Fuck, it hurts so bad."

Renesmee's tears started up again full tilt, and Jacob's attention was diverted again from his pain to hers. Seth scooted around Jacob to pick her up and put her in his lap, where she could still reach Jacob, and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay, kiddo," Seth assured her, his voice still very calm. Jacob was going to owe Seth after this. "We're tough guys. Did you know Jake's broke his leg before?"

Nessie sniffled and shook her head. "Uh-uh."

Carlisle's voice was in his ear again, promising him morphine and that he was less than a minute away.

"Yep. Before you were born, somebody tried to screw with your Aunt Leah." Seth grinned down at her, and it made his dark eyes crinkle. "Jake was _not_ okay with that. Busted his leg up to save her."

The sound of footsteps reached Jacob's ears, and he glanced back in time to see Carlisle come to a sudden halt at behind them. He surveyed the scene, his light eyes full of concern. He glanced first at Jacob, then at his whimpering granddaughter. When she looked up, meeting his eyes, the tears started up again, but without the sound.

"Am I in trouble?" she asked, her voice very quiet. She knew, in the absence of her parents, her grandparents were the ones to dish out the discipline. It was always very loving, but firm, and it almost seemed to make her more remorseful than when her father scolded her.

"Oh, darling," Carlisle said, laughing, "of course not." He knelt next to Seth, at Jacob's shoulder. Taking her from Seth for a moment, he gave her a quick hug and a kiss before setting her on her feet. "There's no need to cry. Jacob will be fine." He rubbed his hands together, looking around, and Jacob wondered what he was looking for. "Well, darn it, there's no nurses here." He sighed heavily, before casting his eyes on his granddaughter again. He smiled down at her warmly. "Can _you_ help me, Renesmee?" The man was a genius, Jacob decided. Renesmee bobbed her head again, this time seeming to make more of an effort to stop the tears. "Go into the guest room, and make sure there's a whole bunch of pillows and blankets in there for me, will you? We'll put Jacob in there and make him nice and comfortable so I can fix his leg. Here." He handed his bag to her, and she took it, wide eyed. "Take my bag up, too. Be very careful - there's medicines and tools in there." He patted her head. "Off you go, nurse."

"Yes, grandpa." She reached down to pat Jacob on the cheek, showing him that she would try not to cry so she could help her grandpa fix him. Then, she darted inside, leaving the door open behind her for them.

"Alright," Carlisle said, glancing at Seth as he to Jacob's feet. "You get him up under the arms, and I'll get him under the legs." Carlisle glanced up at Jacob. "This is going to hurt, son." His voice was apologetic.

"I'll try not to scream," Jacob said, gritting his teeth. It was hard, as they lifted him, not to, but he managed it all the way upstairs. Under other circumstances, he would have laughed at the sight that greeted him. Renesmee had found what seemed to be every available pillow and blanket in the house and piled them at the foot of the bed.

As soon as he was situated, Carlisle reached down into his bag, pulling out a loaded needle. "Ready?" he asked, giving it a gentle tap before putting pressure on Jacob's arm. He didn't allow Jacob to answer before injecting the needle and pushing the plunger.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

When he came around, he could smell something cooking and hear a quiet humming. The humming stopped after a few seconds, and he heard Edward's voice.

"Guess who's awake, darling?" His voice was crooning, soothing.

"Jacob?" A hot little hand landed on his arm, pushing softly to rouse him.

Forcing his eyes open, Jacob met Renesmee's brown ones. They were wide and worried, but there were no tears. He tried to bring his hand up to pat her head, instead only managing a limp wave. He giggled, and out of the corner of his eye, saw Edward's amused smile. "Grandpa got a little carried away with the drugs," he said, and he could hear how mushy his voice was. "Sorry, kiddo."

She blinked, her face becoming confused. Her head snapped back to look up at her father inquisitively. A soft chuckle rose from Edward's chest. "Pain medication," he said simply. She cocked her head slightly, and Jacob wondered vaguely what she was thinking. Edward's chuckle continued. "Yes," he said, answering whatever thought she'd had. He ran a hand over her disastrous curls. His voice seemed reassuring. Edward glanced up at him over her head. "She wanted to make sure you were okay. She's never seen you doped up before." He grinned lopsidedly. "Carlisle went to work, so the nurse and I are keeping an eye on you. How's the pain?"

Pain? Jacob tried to focus, but the idea of pain was positively ludicrous. He giggled.

"Right. Feeling no pain." Edward tapped his own forehead. "I'll add that to the mental chart I'm keeping, nurse," he informed his daughter. She nodded seriously before reaching out for Jacob's arm again, patting it gently. He gave Jacob an apologetic smile. "Carlisle called after he reset your leg, and we came home as quick as we could. Sorry about that. I didn't realize the little monster had that much muscle already." He reached up to ruffle his daughter's hair, and a frown crossed his face. "You realize," he informed her, "that now, your hair is even _more_ of a mess, right?"

Renesmee gave a soft sigh and faced forward again. Jacob laughed hysterically when she rolled her eyes at this.

The guest room door opened, and Bella poked her head in, smiling. "Hi," she said, smiling at her friend as she approached his bed with a tray in her hands. A huge bowl of steaming soup and a large chunk of bread met his eyes, and his mouth watered. "I made you some soup."

"You," he said, pointing at her with a floppy arm, "are a great friend." He grinned as she shook her head, a soft laugh issuing from her lips as she put the tray on a rolling hospital tray at his bedside. "Seriously." His voice slurred the word.

"Eat," Bella ordered. She walked around to sit at her husband's side, and Renesmee crawled from her father's lap to her mother's. Bella's eyes focused on her daughter's as Renesmee pressed her hand to Bella's cheek, showing her something. "I know," she said, smiling. "He's pretty funny."

"You making fun of me, kid?" Renesmee giggled when he reached out to tickle her under her chin. "'Cause it's really not nice of you. I oughtta give you a noogie."

"You," she said, pointing imperiously over at him, "eat." Her voice booked no refusal, and he picked up his spoon.

"Whatever you say, boss."

Anything, as long as she didn't cry.

_a/n Sorry for the slow update again. I have a crazy life. Review!_


	37. Pregnant

_a/n I lost everything, kids, and you have yourselves to thank that I was able to recreate my outline. Why, you ask, were you so vital? Remember when you guys kept asking for an order of firsts? Yeah. There were only a few after that, and those were fresher to the memory and easily placed. It's finally restored to its original glory, and then some, but any suggestions were lost. I'm going to sort through old reviews, but now more than ever, request away!_

_As a thank you, I am giving you what is probably the most requested first ever... partly. You know me-I like to drag shit out. This is set about four months after "Private School," a little after the turn of the new year._

_You guys are the best, and this one is for all of you._

_**PREGNANT**_

Renesmee could feel her eyes closing, but there wasn't a thing she could do about it. She was trying, dammit, as hard as she could to keep them open, but it was proving too hard. No matter what she did, she was falling asleep in the middle of class.

The blowing whistle was barely even enough to keep her up. "Cullen!" Their gym teacher's voice was raised. "Vanessa!"

"Hmm?" Blinking blearily, Renesmee straightened up, realizing she'd been more or less leaning over, probably about to hit the floor in a minute. "Sorry." She rubbed her eyes, and felt again how sluggish she had become. "I'm really sorry," she repeated, swaying slightly.

"Sit this set out, honey." The older woman's voice was kind, and Renesmee dragged her feet as she made her way to the bleachers, pulling off her elbow pads as she went. She heard the whistle blow again, and the cheers of the girls as the volleyball game started up again. From across the gym, she could feel Rosalie's eyes on her, and she met them, smiling slightly as she gave Rose a wave. Rosalie turned, saying something to the coach.

Again, Renesmee's eyes started to droop, and she was almost a little startled to feel her aunt's cool hand on her shoulder. "Hey." Rosalie was squatting down in front of her so they were at eye level. Renesmee forced her eyes the rest of the way open to meet Rosalie's, and found them full of concern. "You okay?"

"Just tired," she insisted. She could hear how whiny she sounded as she tried to bat away the hand that slid up to rest against her forehead. "I'm fine."

"You're a little warm." Rosalie's voice held a tone of concern.

"I'm tired," she said, scowling. "Sometimes I get hot when I'm really tired."

"Don't you get sassy with me," Rosalie said defensively. She straightened up. "Come on, I'll take you to the office and we can call someone to come get you. Go home and sleep. Alice is worried you're about to fall over. She was seeing some upset around your black spot."

"Don't bother Carlisle." Renesmee let Rosalie pull her to her feet and guide her gently out of the gym. "I don't want to interrupt him at work."

"Who do you want me to call?" Rosalie's voice was soothing. Renesmee could count on one hand the number of times she'd been ill in her life, and while Rosalie was fine to help take care of her...

They were in the hall now, away from prying ears. "I want daddy," she sighed, leaning against Rosalie. "I know it sound stupid, but I just want him right now." She could feel tears in her eyes. How strange.

She really was fucking exhausted.

"Oh, honey, don't cry," Rose begged, turning them down toward the main office. "We'll call him and he'll be here in five minutes."

Renesmee nodded, sniffling slightly as they entered the office. The secretary glanced up from her desk, a concerned look on her face. "She needs to go home," Rosalie told the woman. "She's not feeling well. I'm going to call our dad, but can our brother come pick her up?"

"As long as it's fine with your father," she said. She picked up the phone, and Renesmee listened as Rosalie gave her the number, then as the secretary spoke to Carlisle. After a few minutes leaning against Rose, there was the sound of the phone hanging up. "You're all set, dear. Rosalie, would you be so kind as to make sure and get her homework?"

"Sure." She smiled charmingly as she guided them back out to the front.

"You feel better, Vanessa," the secretary called, and Renesmee managed a weak wave in return.

"One thing to love about private schools," Rosalie mused, "is that they really don't care so much when you dip out. It helps that you look like you're already asleep."

"Hmm." Renesmee nodded slightly, letting her eyes close as Rosalie sat them down on the bench that overlooked the school's main drive. "It's nice."

Again, she slept for a few minutes. Rosalie stroked her hair soothingly. She woke a few minutes later to see her father kneeling in front of her, looking concerned. Her first thought was that she was happy to see him. Her second thought...

"Call him from the car," Edward ordered. "We can't have anyone raising eyebrows when he leaves because he has to be with you."

Too late, she thought. She'd felt terrible all day, and at lunch, without her having said a word, her husband sat down next to her and drilled her with questions. He knew something was wrong, but she insisted she was just tired. He'd fretted even more when she'd turned down the offer of a cup of coffee.

"Well, that is cause for concern," Edward said, shaking his head. "You, turning down coffee? The sky is falling, and the world is ending." And even though his tone was light, his eyes...

"Thank you, Rosalie," he said, rising and pulling Renesmee to her feet. "I owe you."

Rosalie waved her hand, dismissive of his gratitude. "I'll bring your clothes home too, okay baby?" She smiled at her niece and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "Go get some sleep."

They drove through the outskirts of Hartley Bay, and even though it was January and it was thirty degrees out, she felt stifled. Cracking the window slightly, she breathed in the fresh air as they drove out into the woods just west of the town. The sleet seemed to have abated for a moment, and she inhaled deeply. If she closed her eyes, she could almost make herself believe that she was back home in Forks. Maybe it was the cold or the damp, or maybe she was just homesick, but the scent almost seemed sharper than normal. Not overpowering, but definitely stronger.

Her phone buzzing jolted her from another nap. Pulling it out, she shook her head slightly, rolling her eyes before answering the call. "I'm fine," she said, exasperated. She _was_ - if she were sick, dammit, she'd be the first to know. "Go back to class."

"You didn't even text me." Her heart broke, as fast as her annoyance had flared, at the sound of his cracking voice.

"I'm sorry, baby." She worked to make her voice as soothing as possible. Edward took a sharp turn just then, and she felt her insides lurch a little unpleasantly at the movement. "Easy, pops," she said. "Not quite so many Gs."

"What's wrong?" Jacob's voice was desperate. "I can be there in two minutes."

Edward actually slowed down after another curve unsettled her yet again. His eyebrows wrinkled, but he said nothing. "I'm perfectly fine, and I'm going to hang up on you, because I'm home and I'm going to bed. I love you, and I'll see you in two hours."

"Hey-"

She disconnected the call and bit her lip a little, peering at her father with wide eyes. "Was that mean?"

"Perhaps, but it was necessary." Edward chuckled. "You know how he gets when he worries about you. The only reason _I'm_ not more worried myself is your brain." He reached over to tap her forehead. "I know you'd know if you were ill, and I believe you."

They made their way inside, and as soon as they entered, the smell of something in the kitchen made her freeze. She didn't realize her nose was wrinkling with disgust until her hand was covering it.

"Oh, my God," she gasped, and before anyone could say anything, she bolted out the front door and into the yard, managing to make it just in time before the sudden rolling sensation in her stomach boiled out her lips. She vomited, cringing at the foreign taste in her mouth. A second later, she could feel a cool hand on her back. Esme.

"Oh, my darling," she crooned. She gently brushed back Renesmee's hair as the vomiting abated, and she leaned into her grandmother. "Better?"

"Yeah." She sighed heavily. "What was that smell?"

Esme's eyebrows raised. "Fried chicken."

"Really?" Renesmee shook her head, and the breeze shifted. A new smell met her senses, drifting from the now open kitchen window. "Is he cleaning?" she asked, nodding her head toward the house.

"I asked him to toss the chicken and get rid of the smell. After that he's going to fetch Carlisle." Esme smiled, and for the first time today, Renesmee found herself feeling a little better. The back door of the house slammed, and she could hear her father's racing footsteps, disappearing moments later. "Come inside. We'll get you some tea and put you to bed."

Renesmee made her way upstairs, and after a quick shower, changed into clean clothes that didn't smell like locker room and girls' perfume. She was snuggling up when there was a soft knock on the door, and Esme appeared, holding a steaming mug.

"How's your stomach?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed and handing Renesmee the tea. She reached forward to brush back her granddaughter's hair.

"You know, it's weird, but other than my stomach and being tired, I feel fine. And a little hungry. Weird, right?"

Esme just smiled.

Renesmee inhaled the steam wafting from her tea, and another soft knock interrupted their conversation. She looked up to see her mother's wide eyes, the same shape as hers, but a different color, peer around the door. "Hi, baby." She stepped in and sat down next to Esme on the edge of the bed. Bella turned to her mother-in-law, but reached out to take her daughter's hand. "How is she doing?"

"Warm, a little queasy."

"The tea is helping," Renesmee said, feeling whatever it was soothe the churn. "What is it?"

"Lemon and ginger," Esme said. "Do us a favor, and don't come downstairs. I think it was the fry oil that set you off, and it's going to take a while to get rid of the smell."

"But I'm feeling better," Renesmee argued. Not that she really wanted to get out of bed, but she felt Esme was being silly.

"Fine." Esme grinned. "Try it."

Sure enough, after five mintues and much debate as to whether or not she could keep her stomach at bay and a brave trip downstairs, one whiff of peanut oil and she was bolting for the back door this time, and fresh air. She vomited off the porch like a sorority girl at a party, and Esme and Bella were at her sides, rubbing her back.

"So to get inside," Renesmee mourned, "I have to go through that smell."

"Yep." For some reason, neither woman seemed bothered by her sudden bought of sickness. If anything, they seemed amused. Bella's voice in particular almost sounded a little excited. "Good luck with that."

"I'm going to live on the swing for a while," she said, making her way to the other end of the porch, where a wooden porch swing hung, overlooking the massive back yard. "It smells good out here."

"I'll make you some more tea," Esme offered. "Settle you down before your father and grandfather get back and start interrogating." She was back inside a moment later, opening and closing the door as quickly as possible.

"Ugh." Renesmee let her mother lead her to the swing, and she lay down on it, resting her head in her mother's lap. "Was he freaking out when he left?"

"A little," Bella said, running her fingers down Renesmee's hair. "I told him not to worry, but you know how he gets."

"You're not worried," Renesmee pointed out. "Neither is Esme."

"We're not," Bella confirmed. "We have a theory, but we're just waiting for the rest of you to catch up."

"Catch up to what?"

"Why would Esme and I not be worried that you're hot, tired, vomiting, and cranky?"

"I'm not cranky." But even as she said it, Renesmee could hear the irritation and snap in her voice - irritation that had, if she was honest about it, been present off and on in sudden flares all day.

"Not today, but you have been a little the last couple of weeks." Bella smirked. "Who knows you better than me, anyway? There is something different about you, other than that."

Renesmee frowned down at her mother's knees before sitting up slowly, not wanting to give herself a head rush. "So, you don't think I'm sick?"

"Not in the conventional sense, no."

Esme reappeared, a fresh mug in her hands. "Here," she said.

Renesmee took a sip, and felt the tea relaxing her upset somach. "Oh, my God." She inhaled the steam again. "This is amazing. And I don't even like ginger."

"You're not a big fan of V8 either, and you've pounded a glass every morning for a week." Bella sounded like she was biting back laughter.

This was true. The only reason they kept it around was that Jacob enjoyed a Bloody Mary from time to time. And for some reason, ever day before school, she'd snitched a can from the fridge, thinking no one noticed.

Renesmee closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and lowering the mug to rest between her hands on her thigh. She shifted all of her focus to her own body for the first time in months, trying to feel every finger, toe, elbow, blood vessel, and organ on and in her body.

Then she heard it. It was strange. It was not a sound she'd ever remembered making before, and she frowned with concentration. What in the hell...

It was _pulsing_. It was just below her stomach, which no longer felt tense, so _that_ couldn't be the problem.

The mug of tea slipped from her fingers, falling to the wooden deck below her feet. Her eyes shot open and she stared at Esme, feeling her eyes go as wide as saucers.

"Oh, my God," she whispered. "But..." She frowned, focusing on the sound again. Her heart sped, and she noticed that when that happened, the pulsing sped up a little, too. "It's..." She breathed deeply, calming herself, and felt the pulsing slow again. Even slower, though, it was still quick. Not quite as fast as her own heartbeat, but something more akin to Jacob's.

Jacob...

"We're not _trying_," she blurted out, and Bella burst out laughing.

"You think I was trying?" she giggled. "You were a surprise, darling, I've told you a million times. And thank Esme for figuring it out. She only told me so I could block her from your father. We didn't want to spoil the fun for him."

"But what if it's something else?" She couldn't believe it. She couldn't _believe_ it. "What if..." She trailed off, unsure.

"When was the last time you menstruated?" Esme wore a huge smile.

"Um..." She could feel several expressions crossing her face-confusion, intrigue, more confusion, then realization. "Ten months ago?"

"Yep, you're knocked up," Bella said. "You've _never_ gone that long without one. Six months, tops. Normally four or five."

"Oh, my God," she said again. Her hand fluttered up to rest over her stomach, and now that she was paying attention, she wasn't sure how she'd missed it. It _was_ different - _she_ was different. She'd asked Jen how she'd known she was pregnant, and she could feel now what Jennifer had described. It was like her energy had shifted, moving from her heart to her womb, wrapping around and around her baby to protect him from anything that could cause him harm.

Jen, who was perfectly healthy, developing fairly close to normally. Her pregnancy seemed to have gradually gotten about a month ahead. While the ultrasound hadn't been clear, Carlisle could make out enough from it to tell her that at four months pregnant, she'd developed to about five, and to expect birthing at seven or eight months.

Jen, who felt no sense of fear, only the natural bond of a mother and child. And her child, so far, seemed a much better behaved fetus than its mother had been. The kicks were a little sharp at times, and Jen swore that by the end she'd be ready for the baby to come _out_, but the everything seemed normal and not even close to causing injury.

Jen, who Carlisle seemed completely relaxed about. Because her body was strong, he said, and she was staying physically very healthy. She and Seth would walk a mile each day, up and down the beach, then she'd eat a healthy dinner after a day of two other meals. Her morning sickness had stopped, par with timing for a normal woman, and everything about her pregnancy seemed _normal_.

"I need to go into town," she said, standing up. "I want to do this the normal way, since I can."

It was quite fortunate Esme's skin was like iron, because otherwise, she would have exploded out of it by now. "Are you going to get a test?" she asked excitedly.

"Yeah. Don't tell anyone where I went, though. I don't want it to come out negative and break a bunch of hearts."

"Okay." Her mother smirked. "I'll get your keys and pull the car out for you. Apparently, you have my pregnancy aversion to fried chicken."

Just the thought of the smell...

Half an hour, one car ride, two bouts of sickness, and an awkward purchase from a classmate employed by the drug store later, Renesmee sat in the bathroom of a Jimmy John's. The sandwich shop offered the smell of soft bread and tuna, which for some odd reason, sounded really good. She'd placed her order before excusing herself.

She needed three minutes.

Just like she'd done a hundred times before, she peed in the cup like a good girl. Now taking notes in her brain, she noticed several things - she had to pee, tuna sounded really good, and her thoughts were running a million miles a minute - all pregnancy symptoms. Shaking her head, she dipped the stick, held, pulled, laid, and waited with one eye on her Rolex. The seconds ticked slowly, and she sighed, cleaning herself up before standing and leaning against the stall wall, staring at the ceiling and thinking that the tuna sandwich was probably done and waiting for her with a big ass pickle.

"What the fuck?" she mumbled. "I done even care about pickles."

But the thought of a big, juicy dill pickle was making her mouth water.

She wondered vaguely if she could fit the whole thing in her mouth - maybe if she put it on a fork she could pull it off - without choking. It was entirely possible, based on the size of Jacob's dick, alone.

Oh, God, this was why people associated pickles with sex, and it was only because of morbid curiosity over whether or not they had a big enough mouth to swallow an entire pickle. Or a banana.

She had to be pregnant. A fucking banana sounded amazing right now. The healthy human fruits she normally could take or leave suddenly sounded heavenly - just clean and fresh and wonderful, and how the _hell_ had she gone from a pregnancy test to bananas in...

Three minutes. Her three minutes were up, and she blinked, refocusing on the task at hand. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the little stick, stared at the window, and blinked. She focused harder, like she was trying to look at a star so distant it barely seemed to exist in the night sky. Still, the same thing stared back at her.

Nothing.

No half ass pink lines, no plus, no nothing. She double checked the box - the same kit Jennifer had used. She looked at the test again.

Nothing. Completely blank. Her heart sped up, and she felt the pulsing - the heartbeat - below her stomach pick up, as well. Mouth a little slack, she reached down to rest a hand on her stomach, giving it a little rub. She closed her mouth, and felt several expressions cross her face, before settling on one that must have been a mix of amused and shocked. "Chill out," she ordered, smiling. The felt like her face was going to explode. "I'm just excited. I'll calm down after that tuna sandwich stops mocking me."

She took her dinner to the boat. It was quiet there, and no one would bother her. She drove out to the docks, parking and taking the sandwich, the pickle, and the thermos of donated human blood her mother had left in her car, out onto the family yacht. She sat on the deck, enjoying her view of Promise Island and the few boats coming and going from the marina. She was halfway through her sandwich when the sound of footsteps coming closer on the boardwalk met her ears.

She knew who it was before he was fifty feet away, and she continued eating, a little smile on her face.

"What the fuck?" Jacob hopped easily from the deck to the boat, giving her a bewildered look. "I thought you went home to sleep because you were sick, and you're fucking sitting here eating Jimmy John's!"

"I don't wanna go home," she said around a mouthful of tuna. "It smells like fried chicken."

"Yeah, well, I'm supposed to tell you the smell is gone." He sat down next to her, running his hands through his hair and looking a little tortured. "Your mom wouldn't let me go until it was, so I could tell you it was safe to come home."

Renesmee snorted, belatedly pleased her mouth was no longer full. "That's funny."

"It wasn't." He sat back, reclining and crossing his arms over his chest. "It was mean. She knows something, her and Esme. I told them you'd tell me anyway, and Esme's response was, 'Yes, she will, when she feels like it.' Fucking annoying, and I love that woman," he added fiercely, pointing at nothing. "She's like a second mother to me. And that's the only thing keeping me from screaming at her."

Renesmee chewed another bite thoughtfully. "You're really bothered, aren't you?"

"I just..." He reached up to rake his fingers through his hair again. She smiled, wondering vaguely if their child would do that.

Their child...

Jacob was speaking, but she couldn't hear him. She was sobbing into her sandwich, and he was in front of her a second later, trying to soothe her. When she finally managed to get a hold of herself, she smiled at him, and it felt like her face was going to explode.

"I'm fine, baby," she laughed wetly, reaching up to cup his cheeks with her hands.

She showed him everything that had happened since she'd left gym class hours ago, up until the moment he'd arrived. Everything, down to the tuna sandwich.

He stared at her with an awed expression. She dropped her hands back into her lap, gnawing on her bottom lip as she stared back. He was silent.

Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she asked, "Well? What do you think?"

Before she even registered the motion, he had his arms wrapped around her and was pulling her out of her seat. She laughed as he swayed her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. She could feel hot tears on her neck-his, as hers were dry now. She wound her fingers in his hair, giggling as he cried.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice raspy. "I love you so much."

She kissed the side of his head as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he slid his hands under her to better support her. "I love you, too," she said said, still feeling the huge smile on her face. "Congratulations, baby," she said, her voice sounding proud to her own ears. "You knocked me up."

* * *

The house had finally settled. Renesmee's illness and sudden disappearance had everyone a little rattled. Everyone except Esme and Bella. And Bella was sheilding Esme, and now Renesmee and Jacob.

It wasn't fair.

His daughter was still on her way home, but Bella had met them on the edge of town, instructing him to sit on the back porch and wait. The rest of the home's occupants had left on a hunting trip, grudgingly giving their brother his privacy. He heard the car speeding down the road before slowing and turing into their long drive. His head snapped to the side, everything focused on the car that sounded, to him, to be driving itself. They weren't even talking, until they pulled into the garage.

"Where is everyone?" Renesmee's voice was curious, and a little amused.

"Hunting, I expect." Bella's voice was dismissive. "Your father is on the back porch."

Renesmee took a deep breath, held it for a second, and let it out very slowly. "And you're sure the smell is gone?"

"Yep."

They entered the house, and Edward noted that, while he could sense Jacob in the house, the other man had been silent, so far - a sharp contrast to his insistence that he deserved to know what was wrong with his wife, not an hour ago.

The back door opened, and his daughter was the first one outside. She was frowning. "I swear, I can still smell it."

"I'll do laundry tonight," Bella promised, stepping out after them.

Jacob came out last, and the change in his demeanor from earlier was a little shocking. He was smiling broadly and walking at his full height, shoulders back. He looked... proud.

"I don't know if it's enough. I'm sleeping on the boat, and I am _not_ going to school tomorrow." Renesmee's hand slapped over her mouth. "Oh, my God, I can't go back to school."

He'd held his tongue so far. He couldn't do it anymore.

"Excuse me!" he cried, leaping to his feet and landing a foot away from the trio, who looked at him, a little shocked. "I'm waiting!"

Renesmee raised her eyebrows, giving him a challenging smile. "Are you?" She cocked her head, and her expression softened as he sagged a little. "Sit down, daddy."

He resumed his original pose, scowling on the porch swing. Renesmee sighed. "Can you just give me a minute? I don't know if I can do it with everyone watching."

Bella smiled, kissing her daughter on the cheek before darting to his side. He sighed softly as she kissed him on the cheek. Jacob, meanwhile, had scooped up Renesmee into a bear hug, pulling her off her feet. She squealed but giggled, leaning back to kiss him quickly. "Go," she ordered, and he put her back down and darted inside after Bella. He heard a door on the third floor slam, and knew this was alone as they were going to get.

Renesmee stood at the other end of the porch, shaking her head as she watched them go. "I swear, sometimes I think I really missed out on seeing them as teenagers."

Edward shrugged, moving his stare to her shoes.

"Oh, come on," she said, crossing slowly to him before sitting down at his side. He noticed that her slow movements didn't seem deliberate - they seemed tired. He frowned.

"You're dead on your feet," he fretted. "Where have you been?"

"I went out to the marina," she said, turning so she could prop her bare feet in his lap. "Had some dinner."

"What did you eat? Anything healthy?"

She threw her head back and laughed, and he felt his silent heart warm, seeing himself in the image. "I had a tuna sandwich and a pickle, then I had a strawberry-banana smoothie on the way home. It was delicious."

Edward cocked an eyebrow. "Interesting. You're not a fish fan."

"I know." She nodded her head slowly, blinking her eyes as if she were trying to stay awake. "Crab cakes sound good, too. They sell them in town, don't they? At that little shop?"

Edward frowned. Something was off. She was talking about seafood with a dreamy expression on her face. "I'd imagine."

"I should check tomorrow."

"You'll be at school tomorrow," Edward reminded her. "Unless you have a very good excuse not to go."

Her head had been lolling back, and her eyes drooping, but at this, her head snapped up, and she gave him the same challenging expression she'd given him earlier. "Easy, pops," she said. "I'm a consenting adult in every way. Sometime soon, I'm going to the school and dropping out. I'll tell them," she said slowly, her expression thoughtful, "I've got some kind of treatable disease that's going to keep me out. Maybe really severe anemia, or something. Then the rest of them can just drop at the end of the year if they want. I'm sure there will be rumors, but maybe that will help us seem more human." She smiled whimsically. "I'm so good at making our family seem normal," she said happily.

Edward stared at her, his mouth gaping. "When did you start making decisions for the entire family with no consent or conversation?"

"Since this evening, when I was waiting for my dinner."

"A tuna sandwich," he repeated slowly, "and a pickle."

"Right."

"So?"

She smirked, and he frowned, seeing himself again. "So, what?"

"So, why are you dropping out?" Edward had stopped being worried. If she were ill, she'd be straight with him - he knew her well enough to be sure of it. But here she sat, toying with him and beating around the bush.

She smirk melted into a smile so content she looked as if she could melt into her seat. Her body was relaxed, her cheeks pink with vital life. She'd had blood recently, he could tell. Human blood. Bella was spoiling her, for whatever reason.

"Can't very well be a pregnant girl in a Catholic school, now can I?"

Time froze. He stared at his daughter, not moving or blinking or breathing - just processing. Her eyes were wide, and her smile faded a little. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, just like her mother did.

He'd experienced this when they'd conceived Renesmee, but that had been out of fear. But now, there was none.

He could feel his shoulders shaking slightly, and his breath catching. She pulled her feet back, shifting so they were curled up under her and she was snuggled against his side. He wrapped a firm arm around her shoulders, burying his face in her hair.

She took his free hand, wrapping their fingers tightly together. _It's okay, daddy._ He laughed shakily at her misinterpretation of his silent tears. _Everything's okay. Please, daddy, please please please be happy. It's okay. _Her thoughts were almost like a croon, and very soothing.

Another shaky laugh escaped him. "Do you remember the day you were born?" he asked.

She frowned. "Vaguely. I remember..." Her hand was still laced with his, and he watched the fuzzy images in her mind - a flash of golden hair, Bella and Jacob's faces, and...

"Oh." She smiled. The first time he'd held her flashed through her mind, clearer than other memories. She remembered his smile, and being happy to see it. "You told me mom was taking a nap. Then you promised to murder Jacob."

"And you said no, and I couldn't argue with you." Edward smiled, resting his cheek on top of her head.

"Hmm." She was drifting off again. "Nice of you not to."

"I'm glad I didn't." He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her a little closely. "He's the cause for another gift I never expected to receive."

"You told me my hair was going to be a mess," she said, laughing softly.

"You seem to manage your mess better than I can."

Her head, which had more or less been buried in his side, tilted up, and she propped her chin on his chest. "What did you do with it when you were a kid? Surely you weren't allowed to wear it like that in the old days." Her dark eyes twinkled as she reached up to further wreck his hair.

"Pomade," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I could go through two cans a week. Stuff smelled horrible."

Renesmee giggled again, and he smiled back. She certainly _looked_ as happy and healthy as Jennifer. And in the same way he knew he had nothing to worry about there, he knew his daughter would be fine.

"You're worrying again," she pointed out.

"Who's the mind-reader here?" he asked.

"Right now, nobody," she teased, and he frowned. "And don't worry. Think of Jacob as a big barometer - if something's wrong with me, he'll know. Right now, he's in a happy place I've never really seen before, so I think we're good."

Heaving a resigned sigh, Edward brushed his fingers across her warm cheek. "You're right, as usual," he said, smiling. "I'll just have to trust him again with someone I love. Granted, it's served me very well in the past."

"Two someone's you love," she reminded him. She buried her face in his chest again, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "Am I still going to be allowed to do this when _I'm_ a parent?"

"I should certainly hope so." Edward wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. "You may be a mother, but you will always be _my_ baby."

She made a breathy, contented laugh. "Thanks." Her breathing was starting to slow and even out. "Love you."

"I love you, my darling," he whispered into her hair. She was asleep a second later, breathing deep and even.

And for a while, just like when _she_ was the baby, he let her sleep peacefully on his chest before scooping her up to tuck her in again.

_a/n What do you think? It's been floating around in my brain for a while, and I decided I had enough set up to _finally_ give it to you, my wonderfully patient and cheerful reviewers. You guys truly are the best, and I couldn't ask for more._

_You can, though. Ask for more... Ask... Make requests! Not sure where I'm off to next, but I'm starting work on it today! Come, my lovelies, and inspire me!_

_Here's the lineup for all firsts, thus far. Without you all, it would have taken much longer._

_Day; Birthday; Break; Crush; Brawl; Walk-In; High School; Driving; Jealous Remix; Runaway; Drinking, Smoking, Nose Breaking; Dance; Kiss; Date; Love; Touching; Sex; Death; Caught; Cliff Diving; Jealous; Trip Alone; Job; House; Wedding; Fight; Christmas; Thanksgiving; Not Pregnant; Home Alone; Walking Out; Driving; Double Date Vacation; Haircut; Private School; Pregnant_


	38. Going Alone

_a/n Hello, my darlings! I got a new job, and it's cutting into writing time, so apologies, but I know you will understand. I'm actually under the weather today, but I'm so miserable with misery I'm looking for an escape._

_Set about two years after "Pregnant." And in case anyone's wondering, no, I do not like typing in accents. This chapter will demonstrate that well. Just use your imagination... _

_**GOING ALONE**_

She had to work hard to remind herself that she was in neutral territory, technically speaking. As far as anyone knew, she was on her own - and she _was_ alone. She'd left everyone at home, because Alice had been able to deduce that Renesmee going would create the least amount of confrontation.

Confrontation that would only lead to the family having to defend themselves, unnecessarily taking out those who viewed them as competition.

After hours of driving, she finally found the place. There weren't many cars - the receptionist informed her it was an off time for them. She could see why - rainy, wet, and freezing didn't seem to be a great way to attract tourists.

Unless one of them was a vampire.

"I thought this might be a room you'd like." The boy from the front desk led her into a big, white bedroom with a view of the river. "And the gentleman asked me to inform you he's waiting in the boardroom whenever you're ready."

Renesmee would normally have investigated the room out of curiosity, but today, she really couldn't care less. "Did he take a room?" she asked, digging in her purse for a tip.

"No, ma'am." The boy looked a little uncomfortable. "He said he would need to return right away for business."

"Fine." Renesmee forced a smile. "Thank you."

"Anything else, ma'am?"

"No, thank you, I'm fine." A lie, but still, she didn't need to scare the life out of this poor kid. "I'll ring if I need anything."

The boy smiled, took his tip, and left, closing the door softly behind him. As soon as he was gone, Renesmee stripped out of the clothes she'd worn to travel in and changed into the outfit Alice had packed for her.

It had been a very long time since she had actually _seen_ Aro, and she intended to use this to her advantage. The outfit wasn't what one would normally wear for a meeting like this, but Alice had insisted. The Oscar de la Renta dress was black and made of Chantilly lace. It was ornate and lovely, and Alice promised it would be appreciated by a man obsessed with beauty and perfection.

She made her way back to the conference room, not even stopping to call her husband. She was half afraid if she did, she might not leave the room.

Because if she was nervous and anxious, Jacob was in hell. He was still in Canada with the rest of her family, and while it sucked for him, she was reassured. The amount of distance between here and there had already caused her to become overanxious several times.

_Focus._ She blinked rapidly, shaking her head briefly to clear it.

There was a bottle of wine on the conference room table, and Aro smiled at her from his seat in front of the window.

"I hope you don't mind, my dear," he crooned. His voice seemed weaker than she remembered. _He_ was weaker, she reminded himself. "It's not often I am able to offer wine to an old and dear friend."

Renesmee wanted to throw up, but she forced a pleasant expression onto her face. The wine had been opened and allowed to breathe, and a glass sounded heavenly right now. She read the label. "I love Europe," she said wryly, finally able to smile a little as she poured the red wine into the glass.

"A little Tuscan treat for you." He smiled, and the expression made her want to rip his head off. "You've never been able to visit the Tuscany area, if my memory serves me correctly."

"You would be correct." She swirled the wine in the glass a bit before taking a sip, and sighing with a small smile despite herself. "Very good."

"I'm glad you enjoy it," he breathed. She successfully held back a shudder - something in his voice unsettled her.

"Speaking of Volterra," she said, no longer in the mood to beat around the bush, "I was informed that you need to return for business." Just as Alice had instructed, she didn't sit down at the other end of the long table. Instead, she leaned against the mantle of the fireplace, fixing her most charming smile on her face. "I'd hate to keep you longer than is necessary. I'm sure you miss your family." She gave him the sympathetic smile she gave to the families of patients who she'd merrily and cheerfully strangle.

"Ah, yes." His voice was higher, now, and he fretted with his hands a bit. "My dear ones - they await my return so anxiously. They are so precious to me, my loyal beloveds."

"I'm sure." She kept the smile in place - it was easier seeing his own anxiety rise a bit when she added, in the gentlest tone she'd learned from Carlisle, "And, of course, you've refrained from grabbing a drink of your own since you've been in the area, I'm sure." She cocked her head slightly, meeting his eyes fully for the first time. They weren't bright or dark - they were burgundy under the fog. "You must be getting thirsty."

"I will, of course," he said, and she could hear the tight tone betraying the rage he had to be feeling, "feed with my dear ones when I return to my home." He smiled, the expression saccharine. "And how are your family, my dear? You're certainly looking quite well."

It was difficult not to clench her fists. This was, after all, the entire reason she'd had to come to the middle of nowhere in England. Here, they both had mutual acquaintances just far enough away to offer no help to either of them.

"Inconspicuous." The sweet smile was still glued onto her face. "It's really quite remarkable how good we've all gotten at blending in." She laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "Especially with the baby crawling all over the house."

"And you live in a home with your parents?"

"Not anymore." She shrugged, as if this most important of conversations was completely irrelevant - only the small talk that it may seem to an outsider. She knew giving him the right details would keep him away for a while longer. "We moved a while back." She smiled, and this time, it was natural and real. "Jacob wanted to have the baby in La Push. It's just nice to be back where the only people who remember you are in on your secret, don't you agree?"

Aro's eyes narrowed a little. "I do," he said, and his tone was guarded. "And how is the child?"

_Hold your temper._ "He's perfect." She could hear the bite in her tone. It was difficult to keep back entirely. Aro needed to know what he was dealing with - he seemed to have had difficulty in the past understanding how far a mother would go for her child. "Talks up a storm, and you can understand about a third of it now." She smiled. "Little baby sentences, you know."

_Perfectly normal_, she thought, focusing into Aro's milky eyes with hers, not letting her focus break for a second. It was still difficult, but she was able to show him just enough...

"When..." Aro's eyes were wide, and his voice seemed to have stopped working.

"Gradually." She let the ice creep into her voice a little. "Carefully." She kept her eyes focused, showing him everything he needed to see...

_...The dining room table was crowded again, for the first time in years. The only person missing was Rosalie, and Renesmee could hear her in the next room, crooning a lullaby._

"_They need to understand that times are changing." Garrett pounded the table, not hard enough to break it, but enough to make his point. His golden eyes flashed. "They cannot dictate our rights to us, when they should have no say over how we live to begin with!"_

"_And we will find a way to voice those feelings," Carlisle agreed, "but we must be careful, Garrett. If Aro feels threatened in any way -"_

"_I'll do it." Renesmee had been staring at her father wordlessly for about five minutes, and his eyes had gone very narrow, but his face was resigned._

_He nodded. "Renesmee will go," Edward declared. "She can help him understand that we have no quarrel with them, so long as they leave us be." He sighed softly. "And she'll have to go alone..."_

_...Another night, this time gathered around the fire outside, swapping stories. Renesmee rested her head on Jacob's shoulder, laughing as their friends told jokes to cheer them up..._

_...Seth and Jennifer were climbing out of the car. Seth had news, Renesmee was sure. News that Felix had defected from the Volturi, she found out quickly, and Dimitri, as well..._

_..."And you're quite sure?" They were in Alaska, visiting their cousins at Denali. Eleazar was speaking, and his voice sounded shocked._

"_Trust me, man, I was as shocked as you are." Seth's face was a mask of disbelief. "Came right up to me and told me both of them just disappeared. No warning, no rumors, not even any reason."_

"_Jesus," Garrett whispered. "Chelsea - defected. It just seems so odd."_

_There was more discussion of motives, but Renesmee tuned them out. It was enough to have to get used to the idea of having Felix dropping in and out with news from Italy. It was an entirely different thing to realize that the Volturi were crumbling..._

"Yes, yes, a very lovely trick." Aro's voice was sharp, and she blinked, interrupting the flow of thoughts through nothing but air from her mind to his. "And your point is well made."

"I don't think it is." She made her eyes wide. "We really don't want a fight. We just want to be left alone. We've always managed on our own, and it's in our best interest to stay inconspicuous. It's just easier. Can you imagine if the townsfolk found out that their emergency room nurse likes to break into the blood supply from time to time?" She smiled wryly. "I think they'd panic and set our house on fire. Not that it would hurt us, but it would be terrible to lose my wardrobe." She gestured to her dress. "I'm pretty invested in it."

"Yes, yes." Aro waved his hand. "Very good, your point is made." He rose violently from his seat, but she didn't let her relaxed pose change. "And it is valid. You can expect no visits from us, as long as you continue to remain unexposed."

"I expect no visits regardless," she informed him. She narrowed her eyes, and the icy tone that had threatened to creep into her voice now filled it completely. "Your legs are weak, Aro. You would be foolish to try and run against a force much more powerful than your own." Her voice was filled with the authority she'd assumed over the past two years. "Don't forget, some of your old friends are now my friends. You'd do well to remember how loyal friends of the Cullen family are when times are tough."

Aro said nothing more, turning on his heel and disappearing. Renesmee drained the rest of the wine from her glass before sitting down gracelessly at the end of the table with the bottle and downing the remaining contents. When it was gone, she set it down and sighed heavily.

"Thank _fuck_," she said to the ceiling, "that is over."

Once she was back in her room, she realized that it was still a little too soon to call home - Jacob would be sleeping, and if she woke him, she woke the baby. Heaving a sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed, turning on the flat screen. Some British comedy show was on, but she paid it little attention.

She was in the middle of the English countryside with no family, no friends, no acquaintances. It felt like a hole had been drilled into her heart. She'd never been so completely alone a day in her life. Even when she and Jacob had first gotten married and lived in Seattle, her parents were just across town.

They weren't in a time zone eight hours behind hers.

She had five days before Makenna was due to come meet with her. She'd cryptically gotten a message through Tanya that she had information she'd like to give Renesmee while she was abroad, and the information should be given in person. Unfortunately, Makenna hadn't known exactly when she was coming, and the sudden date had thrown her a little. Now, Renesmee had to wait until Makenna could get away from whatever obligations she had to be able to see her. Seeing the European vampire again would be a welcome break from the monotony, but in the meantime, she was on her own. She could do touristy shit, but with no one to keep her company...

Her phone lit up, chirping happily at her, and she picked it up, sighing listlessly. The number was one stored already, and she smiled, just a little.

"Well, hello, neighbor." Renesmee smiled wryly out the window at the rainy English countryside. "Guess where I am?"

"Well, a little birdie told me she felt terrible that you were going to be stuck in dreary England for almost a week and that I should call to cheer you up." Renesmee could almost see Maggie's red curls bobbing. "How do I find you today, my love?"

"Terrible, but good." Renesmee flopped back onto the bed. "Aro just left."

"Well, at least he left." Maggie sounded pleased. "I don't trust him, you know, and I've been fretting all day waiting to hear how that meeting went." Renesmee had to think back a bit to hear what she was saying - the accent was so thick.

"Come see me tomorrow," Renesmee begged. "I'll tell you all about it. The inn's got a lovely restaurant, and there's really not a lot of people here right now. It's kind of nice."

"I'll come for you tomorrow then, little love," Maggie crooned. "You poor thing. You must be lonely."

"Jake's home with the baby, and my parents and I agreed it would be least threatening if I came alone."

"And Alice?"

"Alice spent two days staring at a wall and not talking to anybody before she said it was best if I went, and I went alone. She looked at every possibility, and it was the only one where everyone seemed intact at the end."

"The burden of the gifts we have," Maggie intoned solemnly. "And speaking of gifts..." She trailed off.

"He knows what I can do now," Renesmee replied, not needing the question. She smiled. "I think it freaked him out. He saw everything, but only what I wanted him to see."

"So he doesn't know the suspicions." Maggie cut off sharply. "Perhaps this isn't the best phone conversation."

"Right, just in case." Renesmee nodded, even though Maggie couldn't see it. "Besides, the more we have to talk about tomorrow, the longer you have to stay. I still have to call my husband today, but it should wait until it's at least after seven in the morning."

Maggie laughed, the sound sympathetic. "You poor thing. I'll stay a day or so if you like."

"I'd love it," Renesmee moaned. "You can keep me company while I drink myself to sleep."

"Well, don't drink yourself down just yet, miss," Maggie ordered. "You still need to call your husband."

"Yeah, yeah." Renesmee smiled. "See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, then, love." The line disconnected, and Renesmee sighed.

_Time to check out that bar._

* * *

Talking to Jacob did nothing to calm her down. She was upset to hear their son had been crying every night, calling out for her.

"Don't tell me that," she'd begged. "You'll kill me."

"Don't worry, baby," he reassured her. "We're fine. He's hanging out with your mom right now. They're attempting to eat oatmeal." His deep chuckle was soothing. "More like he's using it as paint, and she's trying to convince him how good it is without actually eating it."

And even though she could tell speaking to each of them in turn that they did miss her, none of them sounded very lonely. It was something only her father picked up on, commenting with a brief, "You'll be fine, darling. Home soon."

She inhaled and exhaled heavily and quickly. "Right."

Now, after a sleepless night spent out on the English moors, she was back in her hotel room, sulking in front of her window. A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts, and she knew it must be Maggie...

It wasn't Maggie, but the man in front of her was from Irish descent. A smile burst across her face as she flung herself into the secure arms, inhaling honey and fresh lilacs in spring and _home_. She held tight, not moving or saying anything, just breathing the scent that she hadn't expected to be exposed to for another week.

"I assumed," the man said, "that you'd want one parent left at home, but you sounded far too miserable to leave to your own devices." Renesmee nodded, still not speaking. "Well then, in that case, I have the room next door if you need me." He chuckled, resting his head on top of hers when she still made no move. "Are you alright?"

"I'm really happy to see you," she said, and she inhaled deeply again before peering up at him. "My son puked on your shirt."

"I didn't have a chance to change. Not a big deal."

"I miss him," she moaned. "How is he?"

"Other than night times, he's doing very well." She finally pulled back to look up into her father's face, which wore a small smile. "He misses his mother, certainly, but _your_ mother seems to be a good substitute." Renesmee felt her bottom lip quiver, and her father's face shifted. "Oh, darling, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." She sniffled a little, swiping the back of her hand over her eyes. "Stupid, really. I'm actually glad you're here. Yesterday was... odd." She made a face. "Aro was odd."

For a while after, neither spoke. Edward stepped into her room and sat down. She recalled the meeting, Aro's drastic mood swings, and his sudden departure.

And more than that - the fear she'd seen when she'd looked into his eyes.

"I don't think he thought I came alone," she finally said, mostly so there would be sound in the room again. Too much silence was disconcerting to her. "I think he was afraid someone was going to jump him. He knew when he left we were alone, but he didn't believe it at first."

"Not surprising." Edward sighed and rubbed his temples as if the burden of so many thoughts gave him a headache. He smiled at her analogy. "Sometimes," he chuckled in response. "In any case, nobody has really seen anyone since Felix and Demitri left. It would be interesting to know if he knows what happened with Chelsea."

"You still don't think she left." Not a question.

"I don't understand why he'd destroy her, but I just don't know where else she could be but dead. The rest of them have all popped up somewhere. Most have found us and talked to us, but not Chelsea. And I don't understand why he insisted on seeing you himself, and both of you alone." Edward frowned. "I just wish..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," she ordered, reaching up to scrub at his scalp. He sighed, leaning into her hand. "They're going to leave us alone. And I didn't show him anything he didn't need to see." She grinned. "Everything is fine, for now. Makenna is coming in a few days, and who knows? Maybe Renata told her something. Felix said she defected, as well."

Edward heaved a weary sigh, and turned his head up to stare at Renesmee. "Sometimes, it still shocks me how pretty you are when you look so much like me."

An involuntary burst of laughter escaped her lips, and she clapped a hand over her mouth quickly, eyes wide. "That's not very nice," she chided. "Especially since my son looks like you, too."

"And even mixed with Jacob, he's going to be a strapping young man," he assured her, but his face softened. Her mind had drifted, again, to the first time she'd seen her son.

_Jacob was peering over Carlisle's shoulder. They were staring at her baby with shocked expressions. Renesmee felt a pang of worry, and her father squeezed her shoulder._

"_It's fine," he said, smiling wryly. "I think you probably picked the best name for him you could have."_

_Carlisle had shaken his head, now looking a little bemused. "Indeed," he said, handing the baby carefully to Jacob. "Very fine."_

_Renesmee reached for him, anxious. Jacob was staring down at the tiny baby in his huge hands, and he didn't move his eyes as he handed the child to his mother. Renesmee took him, bundling him up a little and clutching him. Ten fingers, ten toes, two ears, nose, and..._

"_Oh!" She blinked rapidly before a smile split her face. She didn't say anything else - she just stared for a long time down at her newborn son's tiny face, and he stared back, his bright eyes wide._

"_That's impressive," Jacob said, nudging his father-in-law. "Some strong genes you've got there, gramps."_

"_Apparently." Edward shook his head, but Renesmee paid them little attention._

_Her focus was on the green eyed child in her arms._

"Well," she said coyly, in response to his reassurances, "you have always told me I'm pretty."

Edward laughed. "So I have."

Renesmee gave him another smile. "Thanks for coming, dad."

"You're welcome." He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You are the only child I have."

"Does it ever make you sad?"

"Sometimes, a little," he mused, reaching for her hand and twining their fingers. "But, I never expected to have a child in the first place. Having you at all was such a gift I didn't even think about it for years." He brushed some hair from her face. "Are you sad?"

"I don't know," she said. "Sometimes, a little, but mostly I'm just happy to have him. So, like you said." She smiled softly, nudging her father's shoulder. "So, speaking of parents and children, why are you here and not mom?"

Edward cocked an eyebrow. "Masen is one and a half," he reminded her. "There needed to be a woman around."

"Rosalie?"

"She gets greedy," Edward said, scowling. "Your mom has a genetic link and therefore a trump card." Renesmee giggled. "Besides, I don't get to spend very much time with you anymore just you and me."

"I know." Renesmee scooted back on the bed, patting the spot beside her. "Come on - watch some crazy British comedy with me. Maggie's coming later, and then I have to go over all the Aro shit again."

"Language," her father said automatically, sitting down next to her and kicking up his long legs.

"Dad?" She flipped the channel on the TV. "I've given birth. I'm allowed to say 'shit.'"

"Fair enough." And out of the corner of her eye, she could see him smile.

_a/n I hope you still love me. Leave me reviews if you do - they're like crack to me. You guys have been great with the suggestions! Keep 'em coming, 'cause they make me think.._


	39. Pregnant Sex

_a/n Someday, I will have weekends off and (some) free time in the evenings. That day is not today. This one's for all of you, but especially dawnmac, TiffanyAlexis, and McIlwain - thanks for not giving up on me, and reminding me not to give up on myself. Also, to those of you that asked for this particular first, a particularly naughty one... You dirty, dirty people. Fortunate for you, I like it, too._

_**PREGNANT SEX**_

Renesmee Cullen Black, aged twenty-five years with a pregnant belly that made her look five months pregnant at only three, sat with her feet propped in front of her, waiting on Jen to arrive and sipping at her V8. The house was empty of all its other occupants, and with Seth on a business trip, Jen was coming over to keep her company. The little space heater that was her child was currently keeping her more than toasty, and she sighed heavily at the prospect of pushing out a baby in June. She'd wanted to go back to Chicago for the birth, but decided against it when her father reminded her that Chicago in June had the potential to be mercilessly hot, whereas Hartley Bay didn't usually get above sixty-five.

Jen and Seth's truck pulled up the drive then, and Renesmee waved, getting to her feet to go greet her friend. Like anytime Jen was around, Renesmee felt a shift in her belly as her child started rolling around more than usual.

"Yeah, you got it," she crooned, rubbing as another kick fluttered against her hand. "Calm down."

Jennifer got out of the truck, staring up through her sunglasses, her hand resting on her own stomach, which looked about to explode. "I think they like each other," she said wryly. "I've got a full acrobatic show going on in here."

"I swear they can sense each other."

"They're like little Jedi." Jen grinned, then scowled at the steps. "Fuck stairs," she growled, reaching for the railing. She made her way slowly up, and Renesmee watched, half wanting to help, and half not wanting to move. Jen made it to the top, then cocked her head at her friend's odd pose.

"You ought to lay on a heating pad," Jen said. "I swear it helps."

Renesmee cringed. "Any more heat and I'll melt," she said, following Jen back to the porch swing. "You're really not a melting mess?"

"I'm warmer than usual." Jen sat down more slowly and carefully than Renesmee, wincing a little. "Not so hot it's unbearable."

"Carlisle thinks it's the baby's chemistry," she sighed. "He thinks it might be more like Jacob than me."

"We'll see," Jen said, reaching over to squeeze Renesmee's hand reassuringly. "Jacob's not worried, is he?"

"Not any more so than he ought to be." She sighed. "He's just..." She searched for the right word, but one that would be nice. "Careful."

Jennifer stared at Renesmee for a minute before she spoke. "Let me guess," she said, and her lips curled slowly into a smile. "You're horny as fuck, and he won't screw you."

Bursts of unrestrained laughter poured from her lips as Renesmee doubled over. The baby liked the sound and danced, giving her little fluttering kicks in response.

"Your nausea's gone, right?"

"Yes," Renesmee managed to choke out. She got a hold of herself, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "Mostly."

"Tell him it will help with your aches," Jen advised, and her eyes twinkled. She heaved a sigh, propping her feet up with Renesmee's on the little foot bench Emmett had built them for days like today. "That's what I told Seth, and he was right back to his randy self."

"I can't picture Seth not having sex with you," Renesmee mused. "How many times a day do you guys do it?"

"Before I was pregnant?" Jennifer's cafe au lait lips curled into a smile that reminded Renesmee of the evil grin the Grinch had when he came up with his master plan. "Any time we could find time and an open surface."

"So, ten times a day or so."

Jen smiled longingly. "Ah, the days when I had boundless energy." She sighed listlessly, rubbing her stomach. "Now we're down to two or three, if we're lucky."

"Don't rub it in," Renesmee ordered. "Jacob hasn't touched me since he found out I was pregnant."

"Did Carlisle say anything?"

"He said we don't need to do anything differently until later."

"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that." Jen frowned. "He doesn't want me to have any more sex after this month, and then _nothing_ for a month after!" The frown turned to a scowl. "Easy for him to say."

"Ew." Renesmee crinkled her nose at the thought of Carlisle's sex life. Jen, being the emotional vulture that she was, noticed at once.

"You know they have all kind of crazy, tantric sex," Jen teased.

"Oh, my God, stop."

"Esme's actually pretty flexible," Jen continued. "We went hunting once and I was a little surprised. She's probably a freak."

"Jennifer!" Renesmee batted lightly at her cackling friend. "That's gross."

Seth was on his final business trip before the baby was born - he'd left a week before to talk to his lawyer in New York, an east coast associate of J. Jenks who asked equally few questions and provided the same top service - so Jen stayed with them for dinner. As soon as Jacob was in the door, Jen was off with double entendres at every turn. Emmett seemed to be in on it, too, and he was more obnoxious than usual. Jacob ate his steak, oblivious, more concerned with making sure his wife was eating enough.

That night, everyone left again, this time for a hunting trip. It gave Remesmee the perfect excuse to stay home, and she was grateful to Emmett for suggesting it, despite the suggestive wink he gave her on his way out the door.

"We'll be back at dawn," he said lazily. "I'll text you when we're on the way home." He'd left then, laughing as he raced into the woods after his wife.

Renesmee closed the door behind him, then turned, sighing heavily at the prospect of climbing the stairs to the attic.

"Come on, lady," Jacob said, appearing suddenly behind her. She squealed as he scooped her up and ran her upstairs, placing her gently in the middle of their king bed. She watched him as he made his way to her dresser, pulling out a soft cotton nightgown for her. It was one that hit her ankles and didn't show off much cleavage. Not what she was aiming for.

"I need to talk to you," she said slowly, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers as she pulled up her feet so her legs were bent at the knees. She parted them to look to where he stood at the foot of the bed, waiting for her so slide forward so he could help her dress.

"What's up, babe?" He sounded like a teenager - casual and unconcerned. She loved it.

"'What's up,'" she said, "is this." Reaching down, she unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off. He pulled them the rest of the way, oblivious to what she was actually doing. She sat up. "I've got a problem and you're the only person who can help me."

"Is your back okay?" Jacob went from teenager to concerned husband and father in the blink of an eye. "I can- -"

"My back is fine." She interrupted him with a wry smile. "I do have this terrible ache, though."

He made a confused face, catching her shirt as she tossed it at him. Down to only a camisole, bra, and panties left - beautiful. She played with the lace strap of the cami. "Well, it's kind of..." She batted her eyes, giggling. "I can't tell anyone else about it, get it?"

One of Jacob's eyebrows cocked as she slowly slid herself out of the camisole, maneuvering it over her growing stomach and breasts. She wasted no more time freeing her breasts from the bra, and chucking it directly in his face. She giggled as he unwrapped his head from its confines and added it to the growing pile of her clothes on the floor.

Then slowly, she slid down her hands to wrap her thumbs in the hooks of her panties, finally pulling the down and kicking the off. They landed on his desk, on top of a pile of invoices he'd been looking through the night before. She raised an eyebrow. "Maybe don't tell Quil about that when you mail those back," she suggested.

It was working. Jacob's pupils were dilated, and his irises almost completely disappeared. He looked so very animalistic that it made her shiver, just a bit. She ran her hands back up her legs, letting them come to rest on the insides of her thighs while she stared at him through the space between her knees. "Come here." Her voice sounded lower than she'd intended, but it seemed to appeal to him.

He climbed up on the bed, holding himself up over her as he let his lips connect to hers. She pushed him away after a moment, though, and he sat back quickly on his knees.

"I want to preface this entire thing by saying that I feel perfectly fine, and if at any time I feel the need to stop and rest, I promise to let you know. Now," she said, reaching over for the stereo remote, "strip." She scooted back, grinning, propping herself up on her pillows. "Slowly. You owe me."

Years later, Renesmee would look back and realize that never before had her husband actually treated her to a full-on strip tease. It was as dirty as Norah Jones's voice, curling around the word "fucker" as if it were a lover, while her husband slowly swayed his ass before her eyes, slowly pushing down his jeans and bending over to get out of them.

Very slowly.

So slowly, in fact, that the track switched to something that did _something_ to his hips. She wanted to reach up and grab him, but she restrained herself. It was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen, and she didn't want it to be over quite yet. So she watched as he folded her clothes, then placed his folded jeans on top of the pile. The entire time, he bent and fucking _danced_ while he picked up their things. She gnawed on her bottom lip, immensely grateful to Emmett for getting everybody out of the house. Under her hand, she felt a gentle flutter, like her baby was sleeping, lulled by the sudden warmth of her body, and she smiled softly. He paused, his eyes zeroing in on her hand, but when she just smiled and shook her head, he continued.

Jacob actually shimmied a little out of his boxers, leaving him in just a t-shirt. She stared at his ass, a little transfixed by how perfect it was. Then he turned around, revealing his full erection standing proud under the field of white cotton. She smirked a little.

"You haven't even touched me, lover," she purred, the month's lack of sex making her braver than normal. She liked it, and so did he - his pupils were blown. "Would you like to?" He nodded. "Take off your shirt."

The final clothing item was tossed to the floor - unlike everything else, he didn't bother folding it. She half expected him to climb on top of her and take over, but he didn't. He waited.

She wondered...

Again, her voice dropped much lower, all of its own accord. "Get on your knees for me, Jacob," she ordered.

He grinned. "You're kind of bossy tonight," he commented. It was the first time he'd spoken since voicing his concern about her back. Nevertheless, though, he dropped swiftly to his knees at the end of the bed.

She slid down, sitting up and letting her legs dangle off the end of the bed. They were more or less face to face now. "You like it," she pointed out. She let one hand tangle in his thick hair, which he'd been growing out again. She tugged lightly, and he groaned softly. "You like that, too, don't you, baby?" When he only moaned, she tugged again, a little harder this time. "Answer me."

"Yes," he moaned.

Their lips crashed together, and she kissed him forcefully, licking at him and probing his mouth with her tongue. His breathing was picking up, and she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. She reached down, taking him in her hand, and he moaned. When she let go and pulled away a minute later, he whined softly. She smirked, patting his cheek.

"It's okay, Jake," she teased. "I promise you'll get off." He laughed softly, and she smiled back at him. "But first, will you do something for me?" His mouth was hanging open slightly for a moment as she leaned back on the bed, knees up and apart so her legs were spread wide for his eyes. He nodded dumbly, staring at her. "Answer me," she said again.

"Whatever you want, baby." His voice was low and raspy. "Anything."

"Lick me."

He wasted no time in complying, and she sighed as he slid his hands over her thighs before sliding down to her ankles to help her see that, yes, she could in fact spread her legs that much, and comfortably. She bit her lip, biting back a moan. She wanted him more selfishly than she ever had in her _life_, and perhaps it was because she felt she'd earned it. His lips wrapped around her, and she wrapped her hand in his hair again, pulling it tight through her fingers. He groaned, reaching down to handle himself, but she slapped away his hand.

"No, no," she crooned. "Later, love, I _promise_." Even to her own ears, her voice sounded sweet and seductive.

He didn't complain or fight her - he simply let go, reaching that hand back up to slid it into her warm, willing body. Her mouth fell open at this, and she sighed softly, pulling his silky black locks and making him moan into her body. It was kind of a filthy, wanton sound, one she'd never heard him make before.

It turned out, he would made a lot of noises that night that were new to both of them.

She kept him on his knees until he'd brought her to completion twice. The second time found her propping herself up with her free hand and grinding into his mouth, her other hand still yanking and tugging. The sounds he made were almost as arousing as the act itself, and they reverberated through her. She managed to get through it with little more than a few soft moans, letting her hear every desperate moan and cry he made.

When she was momentarily satisfied, she ordered him to his feet. She raised her eyebrows when he brushed unintentionally against her lips, and she licked him once, teasingly, before getting to her feet. She turned him around so that his back was to the bed before forcefully pushing him backward. His eyes widened a little with surprise, and he grinned.

"Scoot back," she said, "so you're lying on the pillows."

He obeyed her yet again, his eyes glinting with an almost boyish delight. She climbed up his body, brushing briefly over him and making him shudder, before straddling his chest. His blackened eyes stared at her breasts, dangling in front of his face.

"Do you see something you like, Jake?" She wiggled her shoulders to make her breasts dance for him, and his eyes actually slid out of focus for a second before he answered.

"Yeah," he whispered. It was a hoarse sound.

"You can play with them if you want," she teased, reaching down to push his hair out of his eyes. "I want you to."

It was like the first time they'd been together intimately, the way his hands slid slowly over her breasts before he thumbed her nipples, almost like he was priming them for his mouth. Then he latched on, and it was too good for words. Her head fell back, and she could feel that her hair was pooling on his thighs. He moaned, and she smirked, letting the tips brush his thighs - she knew it was a huge turn on to him. He loved her hair. Sure enough, she felt his erection jump behind her, rustling her hair which was now certain to smell like him for days. She wasn't even sure she cared.

"So good, baby," she moaned, grinding against his stomach. She reached back, palming his erection and forcing it up against his body. He groaned and a sound almost like a sob came from his lips, which tightened around her nipple. His teeth nipped and his other hand tweaked, and she came again just from the dual sensation, and feeling of power over him.

Pushing herself back, she forced him from her breasts and back onto the bed. He stared up at her, and a grin tugged at his lips.

"You look so sexy right now," he said, and there was nothing in his voice but the sound of a man making a matter of fact statement.

"Not too fat?" She pouted down at him, and his hands slid over her developing belly. Her lids fluttered closed when one stayed there, feeling the soft fluttering of their baby rolling over again, while his other hand reached up to cup one of her breasts. He grinned, first at her stomach, then at her face.

"You're not fat," he said. "You're pregnant with my baby. I did that," he said, his voice proud as his hand rubbed her belly softly.

She laughed. "Yes, you did," she said, her voice light. "Knocked me up good and proper. Now lay back down. I need to fuck you, and I can't have you going crazy on me." She winked. "I'm pregnant."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, saluting her as he lay back, folding his hands behind his head.

"Keep your hands there," she ordered, "but you'd better not close your eyes."

His grin widened, and he did as instructed, keeping his eyes opened even as his grin faded. She pinned his hips down with her hands, using brute force to keep him there once or twice as she dangled herself over him, torturing him by dipping down to brush or envelop just the tip of him before lifting away. His mouth was hanging open.

"Please, baby," he begged, his voice more desperate than she'd ever heard it.

"Come on now, Jacob," she said, rolling her eyes and sitting back on his thighs. He groaned, rolling his eyes to the ceiling and breathing heavily while his erection bobbed between them. "Why in the hell, after a month of unnecessary sexual depravation, would I want to make this _easy_ for you?" She grinned deviously when his eyes met hers again. "Besides, how many times have you been in my position?"

"I swear to God," he said, his voice dead serious, "once the baby's born and we're all settled again, I'm going to tie you up and ream you." She laughed. "Seriously."

"Oh, no, baby, I believe you," she laughed. "And I look forward to it. I won't even tear up your ties this time," she teased, and her eyes twinkled. "But tonight, you're mine, and you'll follow my rules." She gave his cock a small, light slap, and he actually yelped. "So be a good boy."

"'Good boy?'" he repeated, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yep." She slid back up, mounting him again, this time, lowering herself slowly onto him. His hips struggled uselessly against her hands, and his eyes locked on where they were joining. His hands twitched - she saw the tendons in his arms move. "Now, Jacob," she sighed, climbing back off of him.

"Fuck!" His voice sounded like she was torturing him. She chuckled. Good. She climbed off the bed, making her way to the closet and digging until she found what she wanted.

"If you tear these," she warned, "you'll have to get yourself off. I'm assuming," she said, raising an eyebrow as she turned back around, an Hermes scarf in each hand, "you want to come in me."

He nodded desperately, and she smirked. "Good," she said, walking back to him. "Give me your hands."

When she was done, she stood at the end of the bed to admire her handiwork. The sight of Jacob tied to their bed with Hermes scarves was almost too much. She climbed back on top of him, moaning softly when she slid back down onto him. She let her hands slide up to her breasts, carefully squeezing her nipples, effectively showing him how to handle them, now that they were so much more sensitive. He was an attentive student, his eyes watching as she pleasured herself on top of him. Her legs spread as she rode him, taking from him what she needed - the feeling of his thick length, stretching and filling her - and handling the rest herself. She played with her breasts while one hand slid down to where they were joined. She rubbed herself, feeling yet another orgasm on its way.

"Don't come," she ordered, speeding up on top of him.

"Seriously?" He sounded a little surprised.

She slapped his thigh, and he cried out. "Don't you dare," she ordered. "I'm not even close to done with you yet."

And he didn't. Not until twenty minutes later, when she finally felt herself winding to a grand finale. It was the best orgasm yet, and feeling him spilling into her was just icing on the cake. He kept his eyes open the entire time, only needing a few reminders from her as they fluttered as if to close. She listened to the sounds he made - the unabashed pleading and begging, and the whines and whimpers and cries. Once, he'd almost started sobbing in desperation, sure he couldn't make it through another minute. She'd soothed him, and he'd lasted five more, until she'd given him permission and he'd completely lost it.

When they were finished, she untied him before collapsing next to him. The only movement he made was to drop his hands and breathe heavily, his eyes closed as he tried to catch his breath. She grinned. "Was that good for you, baby?"

"Seriously," he gasped, "fucking you into a _wall_ until you can't move." He rolled over, resting a hand on her stomach. "Naptime for the kiddo, huh?"

"It's weird," she said, "but I think it made him really tired."

Jacob snorted. "Yeah, him and his old man."

"You're not old."

"I'm forty-two."

"You don't look a day over twenty-five," she said, winking.

His eyes were a little glazed as he stared into hers. "I really love you," he said.

She laughed. "I'm glad." She pushed hair out of his face. "I really love you, too."

They lay together for a long time after that before Jacob finally moved to pull the light blanket over them both and she rolled so he could spoon behind her.

Her eyes closed, and when they fluttered back open, daylight was streaming in through the high window in their room, and she stretched against her husband, giggling when she realized one of his hands was already between her thighs, rubbing her. She moaned when she felt how wet she was, and she wondered vaguely how long he'd been toying with her body before she'd woken.

Then it didn't matter anymore, because he was inside her again, gently rutting into her with a lazy rhythm that nevertheless worked. His fingers rubbed her, and her body fluttered around his, making him go harder inside her, stretching her a little more. They were still sensitive from the night before, and it wasn't long before she cried out, a little surprised at the intensity of her climax. She shook violently, clenching around him and making him shout.

They lay in silence for about ten seconds before...

"Well, I guess they solved that problem." Emmett's voice was merry and loud, meant to embarrass.

"I did, actually, and I think I did a damn fine job," she responded, and she heard the snickers downstairs stop abruptly. "Thanks, Emmett!" She buried her face in Jacob's chest as he shook with silent laughter.

Downstairs was momentarily silent, and it was glorious.

_a/n Sorry this took so long. I finally reached a nice little break in work with MLKJ Day (yay for civil rights!), so you all get the fruit of that free time. Hope you liked it. Sorry for the delay - I got a job, and I have a truly disturbing amount of work to do. Not fun. I miss you all. Stay tuned. I shall return..._

_Leave me reviews with lots of ideas - that was the biggest push for me. Thanks, guys!_


	40. Meeting Jennifer

_a/n Today, we in the U.S. celebrate those great men who brought us to where we are today: George Washington, Jimmy Carter, Thomas Jefferson, George Bush (times 2), Teddy Roosevelt, Warren Harding, Abraham Lincoln, and Bill Clinton. Thanks, guys. We're grateful for the day off, and all the good and bad times, as well as the endless jokes. Happy President's Day!  
_

_It just felt so good last time, guys, I needed to do it again! That right there is as dirty as this chapter will get, but I promise you'll enjoy yourself. And I'm proud of myself for working the word "chagrin" into this chapter, as a salute to its use in the books. You may say it's overused - I say it's a bad-ass word that people hate because they had to look it up in the dictionary after years of being subjected to text speak and bad grammar. And her chagrin is my monstrosity - how many times have I used it? I don't know. I do know it's a wonderful word, though, and it needs a thriving life outside of "Bohemian Rhapsody." Enough praising of vocabulary, though. Hope you like this. It's January when Renesmee is two years old._

_**MEETING JENNIFER**_

Snowfall in Minnesota was something Jacob wasn't sure he'd ever truly get used to. Sure, he had a truck that could handle the weather - Emmett and Edward had made sure to see to that. That didn't change the fact, though, that it was wet and cold, and it did nothing to get rid of the two feet of snow currently on the ground.

Still, though, as he drove to Edward and Bella's house after work, he decided it could be so much worse. Minnesotans were champions of the snowplow, and he _was_ planning on going ice fishing this weekend with some guys from the shop, which he'd been told would involve a good amount of beer.

He pulled into the driveway and parked his truck. He hadn't even turned off the ignition before Renesmee came bounding outside, looking every bit like a nine year old. Her hair was in braided pig tails, and she wore rubber boots over a pair of leggings. He was pretty sure Alice had dressed her today - she was wearing all clothing Alice had purchased. J. Crew, if he recalled correctly. She slowed down right before she reached him, throwing her little arms around his middle. She wrapped herself around his leg, and shrieked with laughter as he took off walking, her still attached.

Inside, he found Bella in the kitchen. She smiled wryly at her daughter. "Funny. Is your room clean?"

Renesmee scowled, reaching up for Jacob's face. She pressed her hand to it when he slouched down for her, and he chuckled.

"Sorry, kiddo," he said, shrugging. "I'm not fighting with her over something we all have to do - she scares me."

"Why do I have to?" Renesmee whined, finally letting go of Jacob to pout at her mother. "I _hate_ cleaning my room, and it's not like I have friends that can come over for sleep overs."

Bella cocked a challenging eyebrow and pointed to the stairs. "March, young lady."

"Jacob." Her voice was pleading.

Jacob had just seated himself at the counter and Bella was holding a sandwich, staring at him. "I'm hungry," he whined back. "She won't feed me if I fight with her. You want me to starve?"

"No." She jutted out her bottom lip.

"Then go clean your room. Maybe when you're done we can play a game."

She sighed and wandered listlessly toward the stairs, taking them slowly, one at a time.

"Renesmee." Bella's voice held a warning. Renesmee sighed dramatically and tossed her braids, then proceeded to march loudly up the stairs.

Bella put the sandwich down, heaving a sigh. "It's like pulling teeth," she moaned, propping her elbows on the counter and running her hands through her hair. "She has to get better about it, though. Rosalie and Alice spoiled her rotten, and she still expects they'll come have princess and tea day with her while they clean her room."

Jacob laughed, reaching for his sandwich. "I tried to get her to understand that if she doesn't take out everything at once, she doesn't have to put _back_ everything at once. No luck."

"I just..." Bella sighed heavily and flattened her hands against the countertop. "I feel bad. She has barely any friends outside the family, and most of them are back in Washington." She shook her head. "Maybe we should have stayed."

"No," Jacob said. "You made the right decision, leaving. It was going on too much time there - people would have noticed. Alice saw it. The only way to stay in Washington was to permanently coop you guys up in La Push, and it's going to be a long time before anyone other than me is really okay with that."

"I know." Bella sighed again. "Doesn't make me feel better."

Jacob paid close attention to Renesmee that night. She did seem a little down in the mouth, he supposed, and he offered to play Apples to Apples with her. Her favorite game seemed to cheer her up, and he smiled as he watched her bound upstairs at the end of the night to go to bed.

"Guess I'll head home," Jacob said, stretching his arms over his head. "Got to open the shop in the morning." He clapped Edward on the shoulder and kissed Bella's cheek before waving goodbye.

Snow was falling again. He was half tempted to run home, but he knew he'd need the truck in the morning. So he started the engine, letting it idle for a few minutes before backing slowly out of the driveway. It was slower going than he liked, and he frowned when he finally pulled out onto the deserted main road.

Carefully, he began to pick his way back toward town as the snow started to fall harder, the flakes more dense in the air, and the wind picking up a little more. Another blizzard on the way, he supposed, turning up his wipers.

Then, he was braking. Flashing lights on the side of the road caught his attention, and he made out the shape of a car through the white, a female figure bent over toward the back. He pulled over behind the little Honda, climbing down from his truck and surveying the scene.

The first thing he noticed was not that the car had a flat tire - it was her clothing. She wore polka dot rubber boots with a dress that looked like something a high school girl in 1950 might have worn. The sleeves were the kind that just covered the shoulders, and it just reached the tops of her knees. She didn't wear a coat, but she wasn't shivering. Her black hair was worked into a full bun, and she straightened up when he approached. She stood quickly, but he didn't notice that right away, either. Her eyes locked onto him, and he felt a little shock. The only way he could describe them was electric. The color kind of reminded him of the blue you sometimes got in a plasma globe - bright, and not a color he associated with eyes. Azure, maybe, if he had to pick a color. It was wild with her Latino complexion.

"I have a gun in the car," she said bluntly, putting a hand on her hip and staring at him. "I don't have to use it, though. I could take you."

Jacob laughed. Great - he'd pulled over to help a crazy woman with a gun. "Don't worry," he assured her. "I'm a mechanic - I work at a shop in town. Just pulled over to see if I could help. And I'm over six and a half feet tall. You probably can't take me, not that you'd need to try."

She didn't trust him. Her eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, so he paused. "I don't have a spare," she said. "I was just going to walk until I got to somewhere with a hotel. I don't need your help."

"It's freezing," he said, raising his eyebrows. "And you're really not dressed for the weather." He took a step closer, and noticed something.

She was _hot_ - he could just see the little heat waves coming off of her bare skin. Weird. He squinted at her as she spoke. "I don't need a coat," she said. Her voice was clear, and very pleasant, despite its harsh tone. "I'm fine." She turned to climb back into her car, turn off the ignition, and take out a messenger bag. "Excuse me."

Jacob cleared his throat as she stalked away. She turned, her brilliant eyes narrowed. "Town's that way," he said, nodding in the direction she'd been driving.

"And that's where you're going?" she asked, raising her brows.

"Yeah."

"Then I'll go this way," she scowled, continuing in the opposite direction. She turned to stalk away, high heals clicking softly on pavement that was rapidly being buried by snow.

Jacob rolled his eyes at the crazy woman. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said, sighing heavily and following after her. "I'm not crazy, and I'm not a rapist." The idea was comical. He moved to grab her arm to stop her, but before he could blink, he found himself pressed up against the side of his truck, the girl's arm pressed against his chest, holding him firmly in place. And fuck, she was strong. Stronger than was normal for any human, let alone this tiny Latina with the startling eyes.

So he pushed back, hard. She looked startled by his strength. Hr nostrils flared a little, and she seemed to be sniffing a little at the air between them. Then, a very soft hiss came from between her teeth. A normal human wouldn't have been able to hear it, but he did. And it sounded like...

"What _are_ you?" she hissed. She was starting to crouch, her eyes narrowing.

Jacob held up his hands. This was bad. Whatever she was, she was strong and fast. But she was hot, so she wasn't a vampire. Maybe... "Take it easy," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. You just startled me." This was bad. She looked pissed.

"I startled _you_?" The little woman actually growled at him.

"Normally," he said slowly, "I don't come up against women stronger than me. Not in the real world, anyway. Now, I don't know what you are, but why don't you calm down, get in the truck, and we'll talk." He gestured to the road. "We'll both of us look nuts if somebody drives by."

She blinked her bright eyes, seeming to finally notice that he wore only jeans and a t-shirt. "You're not cold?"

He grinned. "Aren't you?"

She stared at him for a moment, completely immobile. Then, after a minute or two, she abruptly and quickly moved to the other side of his truck, climbing into the passenger seat and crossing her arms over her chest. Sighing with relief, he climbed back inside.

Her arms were curled around her bag, and her strange eyes stared directly ahead at the back bumper of her car. "You're not hurt or anything, right?" he asked, trying to show concern.

"I'm fine," she bit out.

"I don't know what you are," he said, hoping she wouldn't suddenly decide to go ape shit on him, "but whatever you are, you're obviously strong enough to take care of yourself. Just understand, I'm strong enough to take care of myself, so we're even. Don't you think if I were going to hurt you, I would have by now?"

She shrugged.

"So can I give you a ride?" His mind was already working fast, and he realized with a bit of chagrin that this was probably from trying to keep up with the rapid mental pace of a house full of vampires. Vampires who would be able to help him figure out what kind of supernatural being this girl was. Edward would know as soon as he could hear her thoughts.

She sighed, the sound short and impatient. "Fine."

"Fine." He did a U-turn in the road to go back the way he'd come. The snow was falling faster, now, and even with his amazing senses, it was hard to see.

"You said you were going into town," she reminded him, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"I was going to," he said, "but this weather's fucked up. Plus, I don't know what you are, but I do know I'm not smart enough to deal with whatever it is."

"What I am," she said mysteriously, "is none of your business. Not if you don't tell me what you are."

"Like I said, if I wanted to kill you or hurt you, I would have by now. But you need a place to stay, and it's a ten mile drive to my house and there aren't plows out yet, so I really don't feel like driving. If you're really freaked out, you can cut and run, and I'd be willing to venture a guess that you're probably pretty fast, too."

"Why do you say that?"

He grinned, and her eyes seemed to soften at whatever she saw in his face. "I'm pretty fucking fast myself. It's awesome when you can run like that."

She didn't answer, and she didn't say anything else for the remainder of the trip. Still, though, she didn't bail. He picked his way back up the Cullen driveway, noticing the girl tensing out of the corner of his eye.

"It's okay," he promised her. "These are my friends. They're good people." In the back of his mind, he was laughing - three years ago, he'd be fucked if he ever said that Edward Cullen was his friend, _and_ that he was a good person.

"I can smell..." Her voice trailed off, and he parked the truck, giving her an inquisitive look. She shook her head. "I'm serious. You tell me what you are, or else I go back to my first plan of sacking you before heading back to that hotel I saw a ways back. You know I'm fast. I could run there in five minutes."

"You don't want to stay there," he said seriously. "It's a dump. And I am not what you smell," he said, wrinkling his nose. "I'm used to it, believe it or not. I know it smells bad -"

The girl cut him off, looking a little offended. "It doesn't smell bad," she insisted. "Just strong."

Jacob narrowed his eyes, staring her down. "What's your name?"

"What's yours?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Jacob."

"Jennifer."

The front door opened, and Jacob looked over to see Edward standing outside the front door, a slightly amused expression on his face. _Fuck you, mind reader. What the fuck is going on with this girl?_

Edward made his way slowly toward the truck, and Jacob climbed out, slamming the door and leaving Jennifer inside. "Seriously? What the fuck? She's fucking crazy!" Edward was chuckling, and it irritated Jacob more. "Come on, man, it's not funny."

"Oh, Jacob," he laughed, "it _is_ funny. Serendipitous, actually."

Jacob frowned. "Who is she? _What_ is she?"

Edward's eyes sparkled as he took in the crazy woman in his truck, who was currently staring intensely at both of them. "She's Nahuel's sister."

That explained quite a bit, actually.

Jennifer was out of the truck in a flash, bag in hand and looking ready to bolt. She was hissing again, but before she could open her mouth to speak, Edward raised his hands. "Easy. We're friends of his," he reassured her. Jacob wasn't sure if Edward was talking about him, or about the half vampire that paid them a visit from time to time. Edward held out a hand. "My name is Edward Cullen."

The hissing stopped abruptly, and she blinked rapidly. Edward smiled. "Come on," he said. "Come inside. We'll get you something to eat. Or drink, if you'd prefer."

Jennifer's body language had changed. She was still defensive, but now she looked curious, and maybe a little hopeful. She slowly took a few steps closer, then took three more back when Bella came outside, staring at this beautiful stranger with confusion.

"It's alright," Edward reassured her. "We won't harm you. This is Bella, my wife."

Bella smiled. "It's nice to meet you," she said, smiling a little.

Very slowly, as if she still might bolt, Jennifer stepped slowly toward the house. It took a while, but Edward finally coaxed her inside, and Bella's warm smile seemed to help.

"I'm a wonderful cook," she assured Jennifer. "What are you hungry for?"

Jennifer's electric eyes were darting around, taking in her surroundings - maybe looking for exits. Edward's minute nod confirmed this. He wondered why the girl was so skittish all of the sudden, when she'd been so brave on the road. Edward's eyes narrowed, and Jacob knew he would find out sooner or later.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly.

"You should have French toast," a tiny voice chimed in, and Jennifer and Jacob jumped, heads snapping toward the stairs. Renesmee had crept out of her room and was sitting at the top, peering through the railing. "My mommy's French toast is the best in the world."

"It's true," Jacob said, grinning.

Jennifer stared up at Renesmee, her eyes wide, but she smiled. It was the first smile Jacob had seen from her yet. "Okay," she said, and her voice was quiet.

"You can sleep in my room if you want," the little girl went on. "Jacob made me a fort. And I have lots of books you can read if you get bored."

Something strange happened. Jennifer actually giggled a little, and her eyes sparkled for the little girl. Jacob was reminded of how she'd won over all the vampires that had stood with them before, and he felt a little proud that he could even melt this ice queen.

Bella made her way into the kitchen, busying herself with food. She shook her head slightly, but smiled up at her daughter. "Are you coming down?"

"Can I have French toast, too?" Renesmee looked hopeful.

"Yes, you can have French toast." Bella smiled, nodding at the breakfast bar. "Have a seat, Jennifer."

Renesmee made her way down quickly, and Jacob realized she must have been up and listening to everything. Aside from Nahuel, Renesmee hadn't met anyone like herself. She looked very curious as she perched herself on a stool next to the stranger, who Jacob had to remind himself wasn't _really_ a stranger.

But then he remembered something...

"Which sister are you?" Jacob narrowed his eyes.

To his surprise, Jennifer burst into peals of laughter. Renesmee clapped her hands with delight at the sound, and beamed when Jennifer gave her another warm smile. The change in the older girl's expression was shocking. "I'm the good one," she reassured him. "I'm the one from Ohio."

"What's Ohio like?" Renesmee was peering up at Jennifer.

"Right now?" The older half vampire made a face like she was thinking very hard. "Probably cold and slushy."

"It snows a lot here," Renesmee said seriously, sighing. "I used to like it, but it gets my favorite shoes wet."

Jennifer laughed again, and then Renesmee was off with the questions. Why were the older girl's eyes so bright blue? Her mother had had bright blue eyes, Jennifer explained. After a while, Jennifer rolled out her hair, and Renesmee was in awe. Could she touch Jennifer's long black hair? Why, of course she could, and goodness, was it soft. Why was she in Minnesota? Road trip. Edward rolled his eyes at this one, and Jennifer laughed.

"I forgot," she said, sounding sheepish. "You're the mind reader. Does it bother you?"

"Just not in the house, or around the small child," he said, rolling his eyes again and shaking his head. Jacob was curious.

"Where were you going on your trip?" Renesmee's voice was innocently curious, and Edward shook his head, seeming a little bemused.

"California." Jennifer bit her lip at this one. "I went to see a friend about... um... you know what?" She grinned. "I think your mom's done."

Renesmee was distracted. The rest of the evening passed with a few more questions from Renesmee, and Jennifer continued to relax as the little girl made her laugh. Edward offered her the guest room, but Renesmee reminded her there was a fort in her room. Jennifer laughed again and said she'd take the fort. Jacob was impressed.

It didn't stop him from sleeping on the couch, braving the sounds of Edward and Bella screwing like mad all night to make sure she was safe with a stranger in the house, though.

The next morning dawned gray and with no visibility. Jacob called in to work, explaining that he was stuck at his "cousin's" house and couldn't even make it out of the driveway. His boss was cool, reminding Jacob about their fishing trip.

It was a shorter hike than drive to the big house, though, and their little crew of five made their way through the woods so that Jennifer could meet Carlisle. She shook his hand like he was a dignitary, and Jacob half expected her to start groveling or something. She gazed in wonder at the huge family of vampires, who took her in with less ease than Edward had.

Until she was introduced to Jasper.

She shook the vampire's hand, and a little smile curled her lips. "Maria's friend," she said, smiling wryly.

Jasper tensed. "Are you a friend of hers?" he asked, and his voice was suspicious.

"Not really," she said easily. "My sisters think she's the most wonderful woman they've ever met."

Edward's eyebrows shot up. "Your sisters are..."

"My sisters," Jennifer said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, "are comparatively savage. Their idea of a good time is finding a man and getting him to think he's in for a good time before they..." She trailed off, glancing at Renesmee out of the corner of her eye. "Well, suffice it to say they get along with Maria very well." Her azure eyes twinkled. "She's really not my type."

Edward snorted at whatever was in the girl's mind, and she laughed. Jasper relaxed a little, letting go of her hand. "Not really my type either," he said, moving to stand next to Alice again. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"I am in love," Alice said slowly, stepping toward the girl, "with your dress."

"Thanks," she said, and she swayed her hips a little so the tulle rustled. "I made it."

Alice sighed. "I love that you make your own clothes," she gushed. "Do you make all of them?"

"No." Jennifer looked down at her dress, the same one she'd worn the night before when he'd met her. "Just the ones I can't find or afford to buy in a vintage store."

"I think it's adorable," Rosalie chimed in. "Where did you find the fabric?"

"Huilen." Jennifer smiled, and her face became very soft. "She's really a wonderful woman. She finds these wild fabrics in South America and sends them to me. This came from a market in Chile."

"How long have you known Huilen?" Carlisle was curious. So was Jacob.

"As long as I've known my brother." She sighed, and a tiny crease appeared between her brows. "He's always been so kind to me. He found me when I was very young, and he's taken care of me. When I left my father, he made sure I had an apartment and the means to take care of myself without having to rely on anyone but myself or my brother." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I couldn't do it anymore. Especially not after Nahuel told me about what he'd been through with all of you. I was young enough to change," she said, shrugging, her face a little sad. "My sister's aren't, I guess."

"So you don't receive help from your father?" Carlisle situated himself in a chair across from her as Esme returned from the kitchen, carrying two cups of steaming coffee. She handed one to the girl before coming to stand at Jacob's side, handing him the other and resting a calming hand on his shoulder, rubbing softly. He hadn't realized his own tension, but she did. He winked at her, mouthing, "Thanks, mom." She beamed at him. Jacob loved that she loved babying him like he was one of her kids, and he loved that it was _almost_ like having a mom again. It felt good.

"I couldn't care less about him," Jennifer replied, and her voice was suddenly harsh. "He's a manipulative ass who couldn't care less about me. He only wants his little following of obedient slaves that he can call his children. He fathered me," she said bitterly, "but he is _not_ my father. I have no father. It's why I've been curious to meet you," she continued, the bitterness starting to ebb away slowly. "Your lifestyle is very appealing to me. I don't understand my sisters' need to destroy human life, when they would not be here without humans in the first place. All of us are named for our mothers. I'm the only one who seems to miss mine. I left them two years ago, and I never looked back."

There was silence for a moment as all considered her words, and what they meant. Jacob felt a little guilty for not trusting her, now. The frustration etched onto her face was a little heartbreaking as he remembered that this girl, for all intents and purposes, was more or less alone in her life. Yes, she had a brother, but he suspected Nahuel was not able to visit her often. It was sad to think of this girl, in her crazy clothes, all alone. Jacob had a hard time picturing her alone in a little apartment in Ohio.

"What made you leave?" Renesmee's voice broke the silence, and Jacob stared at her. The little girl had an intense expression on her face.

Jennifer locked eyes with Renesmee. "My father," she said slowly, "is not a good man like yours. He would sent me off to try to persuade my brother to come home. I resented Joham for it for years. My oldest sister, Serena, adores Joham. She tried to convince me that our brother was mad, and that our father's way of doing things was the only one that made sense. I had no other point of reference, though, so I stayed. But then," she said dramatically, "two years ago, my brother and Huilen came to see me and tell me about this amazing little girl they'd just met, and her rather unusual family." Jen's eyes twinkled when Renesmee flushed, looking a little pleased. "I still talk to them - they're my sisters, after all, and I do love them. But _he_," she said, and her eyes burned, "will not use me. I am no one's toy. None of us are." She shrugged. "So I left. Doesn't stop him from sending my sisters to guilt me, though. He doesn't understand."

Renesmee hopped down from her seat next to Jacob to climb up next to Jennifer. She wrapped her arms around the older girl, and Jennifer blinked rapidly several times before hugging her back. "You can share my family," Renesmee said. "They're all very nice."

"Thank you, darling." Jennifer smiled down at Renesmee. "That's very sweet of you."

The conversation topic switched back to clothes after that, and Jacob tuned out, instead turning to play Halo with Emmett, who was situating himself on another couch. Eventually, it was time to eat again, and afterward, Jacob noticed that Jennifer was making her way outside, winking at Edward before darting out the back door. Edward rolled his eyes, but nodded. Jacob's curiosity peaked, and he followed.

"Oh." He opened the back door, taking a whiff of the air and coughing slightly. "I thought you were running away. I was going to try to get you to stay," he rambled, feeling suddenly awkward, "'cause I think Ness really likes you, but if you're busy..."

Jennifer chuckled, and a mischievous smile curled her lips. "I just remembered that you live with a bunch of vampires. You've probably never smoked weed before."

Inside, Jacob could hear Edward saying something to his daughter that he and Jennifer were outside having a very grown up conversation, and that they would be back later.

"It's illegal," he said.

"You're from Washington." She giggled, holding out what looked like a rolled cigarette. He wasn't stupid, though - he knew that smell wasn't tobacco. "Come on, Jacob, peer pressure." She held it out, and he took a step back.

"Edward would kill me," he said, then he blinked. Had he really just said... "Fuck it," he said, reaching out to take the joint. "He's not my boss."

"Nope." Jennifer smiled. "Just your future father-in-law." She grinned - she'd initially been shocked by this, but then, she'd found Jacob's attachment to the little girl truly hysterical. "Inhale and hold. It'll take you a few good hits to get going, just so you know."

Jacob wasn't sure he'd ever coughed so hard in his life, but through the violence, Jennifer informed him that no smoke came out of his mouth in the end, and that she was impressed.

An hour later, he wasn't sure he'd ever met anyone quite as cool. The snow was still falling, but he looked at it with new eyes.

"She's so cute, you know?" Jennifer inhaled deeply, passing the joint back to Jacob before exhaling slowly. "She's the first person I've met like me that isn't a relation. And she's so fucking cute, and _cool_."

"She is cool," Jacob laughed. "And she's two. You and your fucking cool, two year old friend - a match made in heaven. Finally, somebody who understands what it's like to be me!"

"Shut up!" Jacob crowed when she gave his shoulder a playful slug. "I remember what it was like being her age. It's weird. You can't go anywhere, because people would notice if they saw a cute little kid, then a year later realized that kid had grown a foot and a half, in addition to boobs." Tears were starting up now, he was laughing so hard. "Just you wait until she goes through puberty."

That stopped him cold. "What do you mean?"

Jennifer's grin was wicked. "She's half vampire," she warned. "Soon as she grows tits, she'll have a wicked sex drive, I promise you."

Jacob almost retched. "Jesus Christ!" he exclaimed, and she burst out laughing. "She's two years old! I don't need to hear that!"

"Yes, you do," Jennifer giggled. "Because in another two years, she's going to spend a lot of time ogling you, if this connection between you two is as strong as I'm led to believe."

"Fuck," Jacob grumbled.

"You'll be powerless," she teased.

"Shut up." But he was smiling. "So, I can call you for advice?"

"Sure. Her, too, if she needs it." Jennifer's voice was warm. "I like her. I know that sounds strange - she's so young. But it's true. I like her attitude and how she loves everybody and she's so accepting. I think I could be friends with her." She blinked slowly. "I don't have very many friends."

"We were totally having this conversation yesterday before you showed up." Now Edward's "serendipitious" comment made sense. "Neither does she," Jacob said, "and none that are like her."

"Then she and I," Jennifer proclaimed, "will be great friends. For both our sakes."

"War buddies."

"Partners in crime." Jennifer grinned.

"Old chums."

"Compatriot hybrids."

"Oh, that's a good one." Jacob thought for a moment. Then, "Alright. Comrades in genetics." He grinned. "That's what I call my buddy, Seth."

"Oh, so there are more like you?" Jennifer smiled. "Intriguing."

"Seth's insane," Jacob said, rolling his eyes. "Kid says he's going to follow me until the day I die. He's nuts."

"Is he cute?" Her lips curled.

"Take it easy," Jacob warned. "He's sixteen."

Jennifer shrugged. "I'm seventeen."

"That's different."

"Is it?" Her lips quirked. "Really, why is age so important? Isn't it the person that really matters? Look at Renesmee. She's two, and she knows more about poetry than I do."

"You know more about a lot of things, though, I bet."

"Life?" Jennifer laughed. "I have no life. I'm a ghost. I make it my business not to exist. I haven't spoken to my father in two years. I change my number, moved to different cities, do everything I could, and it works. I'm all alone, except for my brother. He won't give me up, though, so I feel okay telling him how to call me."

"And your sisters?" Jacob took the joint as she passed it back.

"I meet them from time to time," she said. "I communicate with them via an e-mail address reserved for them."

"They can track you from that," he warned.

She smirked. "Not me." She took back the joint, holding it to finish her thought. "I'm a ghost, remember? I don't exist. I do it for a living, you see. I help people disappear. They don't know me or ever meet me, but when I'm finished with them, they've disappeared to wherever they wanted to go, and I helped them on their way." She sighed. "It's a little depressing, actually."

Jacob was curious, and he watched as she inhaled, letting her bright eyes close. "Why is it depressing?"

Jennifer opened one eye and smiled crookedly. "I thought my little red haired friend was the one who asked the questions." Jacob just chuckled. "I don't know," she said, and she sounded uncomfortable.

"You don't normally talk about this, do you?"

Another shrug, another crooked smile. "I'm all alone. Who do I talk to?"

"Clients?"

"The clients talk to me," she explained. "They tell me whatever, and I help them. No questions asked, but only if it's for personal reasons. If there's illegal activity involved, I keep clear. I'm an IT girl, not a cleaner." She laughed. "Sometimes they tell me their stories. Like, this one guy from Joplin, Missouri, who lost his entire family in that tornado. Insurance would have rebuilt his house, but he didn't want it. He'd lost his wife, and both their grown kids. His parents were dead, and he didn't really have any friends. He took the money and contacted me. I gave him the means to start a new life - erased his information, and sent him to a forger who does quality work for me without asking any questions. He now lives in Denver. If you look for him, you find that he moved there from Dallas, where he lived, went to high school and college, and worked, his entire life. People will vouch for him, if you call his references."

"Wow." Jacob blinked slowly. "That's insane."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't even be telling you this," she mused. "But I assume you're good at keeping secrets."

"So," Jacob said slowly, "how do you know people will give this guy a good reputation?"

"We pay people to do that. They have the name in their file and a line of bullshit about them. Employers will call a number and be connected to an operator. Our operator gets their name, and the name of the person they're asking about. They put them on hold, and give the information to an actor who reads them a line of bull shit, all of which has been discussed with the client, so there's no blind sighting. All of this done by a myriad of people who will never meet, never see face to face, and who will never know each other's names, because none of us really exist, for whatever reason."

It was silent for a minute. Then, behind them, a soft voice said, "I never realized the entire job of helping people disappear was quite so depressing."

It was Jasper. He looked curious. "I wondered what you two were up to out here. You seemed in strange spirits."

Jennifer smiled. "Yep. Strange spirits."

"Well, just remember," he said, winking as he turned to head back inside, "that you do exist here."

It was silent for a long time after that.

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It was strange to think that she would miss these people, who had so abruptly and randomly entered her life. She packed up the bags of clothes Alice had given her, putting them into the back of her now-quiet car. Jacob had fixed the mechanical issues it had started having, and promised her that her car was now like new. If she had any problems, he insisted she call him and he'd come fix it. In Ohio? She'd laughed, but he'd insisted he'd come, and he'd bring Renesmee with him.

The little girl pouted when Jen announced her decision to go home, and it had pulled heartstrings Jennifer wasn't aware of having. She'd knelt in front of the girl, and closed her eyes when the small hands cupped her cheeks. The poor thing, she thought, as Renesmee showed her what she felt, and the things she kept hidden inside from even her father. She loved her family more than anything, and Jacob was a good friend, but she was a little girl and there wasn't always someone to play on the jungle gym with her, like the kids she saw on TV. So on Jen's last day there, they'd gone to a park that was covered with snow, and the two of them romped in the white, playing on swings and going down icy slides. It had been a magical day, and even though she didn't want to leave, she had to.

It wasn't that anyone was looking for her, because they weren't. She'd heard from her sisters last month that they were far south and planning to stay there, but she'd been in Cincinnati long enough. North always seemed a good direction to go, and she knew from being in California that she liked the water, so she would find somewhere on the lake to live. Some little town with a beach that would be lonely for her to walk down this time of year.

The drive was longer than she remembered it being the first time. She arrived to Cincinnati being covered in an ice slick that was proving deadly for the humans. Making it slowly through the mess, Jen parked under the little shelter outside her little duplex apartment. Her neighbor appeared to still be gone. Guy was seriously never home. Not that she would have spent tons of time with him, but still - would have been nice not to be alone all the time.

She unpacked slowly, leaving her new clothes for last. Alice had altered some of Rosalie's old clothes, a cause for which the blonde had been happy to donate some of her nicest dresses from the forties, fifties, and sixties. Cute dress after cute dress came out of the bag, and she smiled, trying each of the on and finding they fit perfectly. Alice was quite the seamstress, herself, she mused, looking over her shoulder at herself in the mirror, the knee length flowered dress hugging her top before flaring fully at the waist. It took about two hours to get through the whole thing.

At the bottom of the bag was a large, fat envelope. Her name was on it, in the similar, old penmanship that her oldest sister used, but a different style that indicated it was from someone else.

Her eyes bugged when she opened it. It was stuffed with hundred dollar bills. There had to be at least fifty grand in here.

And behind it, in the same handwriting that was on the front, was a note.

_You do exist. Now, remember to live._

_~Jasper and Alice~_

Her eyes clouded with tears, knowing it was Jasper's handwriting - she'd seen Alice's, and this wasn't it. She'd talked with the older man for hours on her stay, taking jibes at Maria and laughing more than she had in her entire life. He used his talents to relax her, and it had been wonderful. When she'd left, he'd given her a hug and made her promise to keep in touch, especially if she ever went crazy and thought Maria's lifestyle was an option.

And he'd kept her from crying when she expressed the loneliness that her life left her with. He and Alice had held her hands and promised that she wouldn't be alone forever, and that even now, she had a home with them should she ever need it. She'd reassured them that just knowing someone loving would take her in would keep her floating until she met someone.

She looked at the clothes, looked at the money. Then she made a decision.

If she could be a ghost, then she could surely be some mysterious fashionista no one ever saw.

And she was pretty sure Jasper and Alice wouldn't mind her spending her money on starting that up.

* * *

_Six Months Later_

Sitting on the breakwall at the spot where her property met Lake Erie, Jen laughed. "That one was totally for you," she confirmed. "I hoped you'd like it."

"Do you understand how long it's been since I had a swimsuit actually make my butt look better?" Alice giggled. "Seriously. Maybe it has been fifty years."

"Jesus." Gentle waves lapped against her toes, and she wiggled them with a little bit of childlike delight.

"So things are better?"

"I still do IT on the side," Jen said, leaning back and watching as the sun dipped a little lower on the horizon. "The pay is too good to quit, and when you're in my position, you have to keep earning _some_ money."

"Speaking of positions, how's the house?"

Jen hadn't realized when she'd opened the envelope that there were stock certificates inside, for stock that was going to take a plunge in short order, according to another note. She'd burned the note and cashed the stock. Honestly, after all that, she could get away without working even _after_ buying a house on an isolated stretch of dangerous road along the edge of Lake Erie. But she was a working girl, so work she did. Just a little. For fun. Making clothing and helping one person a month.

And Alice assured her she could probably stay there for a very long time without being bothered. It was the most important gift the woman had given her yet.

"Coming along." She turned around, grinning up at where Jacob and Emmett were pounding away at the roof. "Should be done by the end of the week."

"Good. I'm glad you got such a steal on it."

"And I'm glad I was able to get free contractors," Jen laughed. "I had no idea they actually knew what they were doing." It was a little shocking, she'd admitted, that Emmett was such a good carpenter. He'd laughed the big booming laugh he had and explained that when you were so good with your hands, you had to be good at fixing whatever destruction you and your wife wreaked. This had caused her to cackle for a solid ten minutes.

"Is Renesmee still diving?"

"She's a strange fucking kid," Jen laughed. "She seems to enjoy seeing how deep she can go. Found a couple of wrecks before she had to come back. She wants to try swimming to Canada and back later."

"Sounds about right." Alice giggled. "I've got to get going. Jasper's giving me eyes and it's only a matter of time before he starts forcing me to get turned on."

They said goodbye, and Jennifer hung up, tossing her phone back up onto the grass. Not a minute later, a wet red head of hair popped up. Renesmee took the little respirator out of her mouth and rolled her eyes. "I totally don't need this," she said.

"Safety first," Jen said, shrugging. "I use one. What happens if you run out? You're kind of screwed." It was true. But where she never had before, she explained herself so that her friend could learn. And Renesmee had learned a lot about herself since they'd been talking. "So what did you find?"

Renesmee grinned. "Check it out." She tossed up a few license plates before dipping back down and resurfacing a second later. She climbed up on the wall, tugging a very long, heavy linked chain behind her.

"Now that," Jen said, standing and pulling the chain out of the water, a little shocked at how long it was, "is pay dirt."

"You can use it?" Renesmee sounded pleased with her handiwork.

"Oh, yeah. I just need to sand blast it, but holy shit." She laughed. The thing had to be fifty feet long. "Where'd you find it?"

"It was just sitting there. It was a little buried, but I saw a few of the links." She grinned. "The flashlight was a good idea."

"Good job, kiddo. I'll melt it down and make some super cute earrings for you."

"Cool."

Jen sat back down next to the little girl. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah." Renesmee sighed. "I don't want to go home yet."

"I know." Jen wrapped an arm around her wet little friend, hugging her close. "But you'll see me soon."

"Promise?" Renesmee peered up at her, her brown eyes big and childlike.

Jen smiled back. "Promise. We're buds, you and me. We have to look out for each other."

They turned back to face forward, watching the sun set over the side of the lake, and Jennifer felt really and truly happy for the first time in a very long time. She felt Nessie staring at her, and she smiled, letting the girl look. After a while, she finally commented. "Yes, creep?"

Renesmee giggled. "You just look really happy."

Jen turned to look down at the younger hybrid. Her brown eyes were lit by the setting sun, and her hair was already starting to dry in the warm summer breeze. Her little cheeks were pink, and she was grinning.

"I am happy." Jen brushed some hair out of Nessie's face, very gently. "You know we're going to be friends for a really long time, right?"

Nessie crawled up into Jen's lap. "Even when I'm grown?"

"Oh, girl," Jen laughed. "_Especially_ when you're grown. I'll be here forever, kid."

"Good." The little redhead wrapped her arms around Jen's waist. "You're my only friend like me." Her high, little voice was suddenly serious. "You're very important."

Jen could feel her eyes watered, and she buried her face in Renesmee's soft hair. "Me, too."

"Will you push me later?" Renesmee asked, her voice childlike again. She was addicted to the rope swing Jen had put in the back yard for her.

Jen smiled. "Of course I will. And I'll tell you what constellations I know, and you can tell me the ones you know. Give me an education."

And they sat in companionable silence like that for a long time, waiting for the sun to set and listening to Emmett and Jacob laugh while their hammers worked double time.

And it was really good night.

_a/n I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I needed to establish where they'd end up years later for it to really come across. These two are buds - always have been. Maybe it's why they get into so much mischief together. Leave me some lovin' and some inspiration!_


	41. Double Date Vacation: Pt 2

_a/n I'm so glad you guys liked that last chapter - I was afraid it would bore you, but you liked it! You really liked it! Watch for a reference to another first in this one._

_And now... You've begged. You've pleaded. You've even asked nicely. So here it is..._

_**DOUBLE DATE VACATION Pt. 2**_

_**Cuba**_

The beach was so beautiful, it almost looked fake. And as she sipped some rum drink she couldn't care to recall the name of (Jacob always responded to "another one of these thingies"), Renesmee Black could understand why Americans weren't generally allowed here. They might start to actually _like_ Cuba, God forbid.

"What do you think they're doing?" Jen's voice was lazy and unconcerned.

"Who cares?" Renesmee gazed out at the water. "The ocean matches the sky and I never want to leave."

Jen laughed. "I love the ocean," she mused. "The lake is beautiful, but if you swim across it, it doesn't take very long."

"Truth." The redhead laughed, still high from the brownies they'd baked that morning. They went on forever...

"I don't want to move." Jen was still half asleep, it seemed, and Renesmee smiled. It was three o'clock, and Jennifer had already made a comment about needing a nap. The girl loved to sleep, and she insisted it was abnormal. Probably, she joked, the weed. "Seriously."

"I know."

The sound of familiar laughter carried over the said, and Renesmee craned her head backward. Jacob and Seth were making their way across the sand, a huge metal wash tub between them.

"Oh, my God," she said. "We never have to move."

"Oh, you're such good boys!" Jen clapped her hands, laughing. "Tell me there's rum!"

"And the mixer," Jacob said, winking at his wife. "Don't you want to know what's in it?"

"I like a little mystery in my life. All I care about is whether or not you brought the little umbrellas and some straws."

"Of course I did." He reached into the back pocket of his swim trunks, producing the items in question.

"Oh, you _are_ good." She smiled, reaching up to pull him down for a kiss as soon as he was close enough.

"I do my best." Jacob smiled and straightened back up. "You girls still want to go out tonight?"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes." Jen's eyes sparkled. "The guy said there was going to be a little band that's really popular."

"Probably don't need to leave for a few hours, though." Seth flopped down on the blanket that covered the sand on Jen's other side. He sprawled out on his back, hands behind his head, his eyes hidden by his aviators.

Renesmee looked back at the wash tub, laughing when she saw what else it contained. "You two are a cliche."

"Only because conditions are right." Jacob grinned, grabbing two Coronas and sprawling next to Seth. The girls giggled as they clinked their bottles, drank, and relaxed again.

"So, Cuba was a good choice?" Seth tilted his head up to look at Jennifer.

"Very." Jen sighed. "I've never been."

"I came one time, and I didn't get to stay long," Seth lamented. "Needed to get back."

"It was a good call." Renesmee sipped her drink, smiling over at him. "My family are wildly jealous." She could feel her lips curling. A soft breeze brushed her face, and a few strands of Jennifer's long hair fluttered between them. Almost absently, Renesmee reached up to toy with them. She'd long since loved her long, beautiful hair, jealous that Jen seemed to be able to get it to do whatever she wanted. "Carlisle said he's not sure there are even vampires in Cuba. I mean, it's possible..."

"It's just so damn sunny." Jennifer's smile was brilliant. "I love the sun. There's not nearly enough sun in Ohio."

"Was it sunny where you grew up?" Jacob and Seth had started up their own conversation - something about brownies and being hungrier, which Renesmee was sure they'd find out about later. She'd forgotten to warn them which plate to eat from...

"It was, for the most part." Jen's eyes were distant as she remembered. "It had its off days, but it was lovely. Joham wasn't going to keep us somewhere that would make us want to leave." The older woman scoffed. "Bastard."

"You really can't stand him, can you?"

"The older I get, the pushier he gets, and the more I hate him." Jen sighed, sitting up and sitting so she had one leg on each side of her lounge. "Come on and walk with me," she requested, standing and holding out a hand. "I'm getting stir crazy." She smiled down at the men, who had stopped talking to stare over at them. "We'll be back." Jen cocked her head, then frowned. "Damn. Give me a minute, I left my cigarettes in the house."

"Got it." Seth dug into his pocket and tossed her the small box.

"Oh, you're so good," Jen said, grinning, giggling a little when her friend elbowed her.

"I do try," Seth said, making his face serious even though he couldn't do the same with his voice. "So very hard."

Jen leaned down, lighting a cigarette and taking one more from the pack before tossing it down next to Seth. "Thank you."

"Any time, baby." Behind the aviators, Renesmee saw him wink. Then, he reached up, pulling her down for a quick kiss.

Once they were a little bit down the beach, Jen finally spoke again. "So, things seem better." There was a small, happy smile on the older girl's face. "With Jacob, I mean."

"Yeah." Renesmee laughed, the sound just a little hollow. She supposed it _was_ time for this conversation - somehow, they'd not really had it since they'd been on vacation. It was the first time they'd really discussed it since Jen had visited her, shortly before the move to the east coast. "We definitely gave that 'for worse' part of our vows a pretty good work out for a while."

"You know he loves you more than anything," Jen reminded her, looping their arms together as they walked slowly, dragging their toes through the white sand.

"He'd have to." Renesmee sighed, leaning against her friend a little more heavily. "I put him through hell."

"You totally did, but you didn't mean to." Jen rubbed Renesmee's arm, and it felt very soothing. "And I'm sorry I was so tough on you."

"You probably helped more than anyone." Renesmee smiled, staring down the beach. "You've always been completely honest with me, and that's all you were doing."

"But by calling you a self-centered bitch?" Jen shook her head. "Not so sure about that."

"I'd been thinking it about myself, and Jake said something, so you were just the final push. And you didn't call me a self-centered bitch. You said I was _acting_ like a self-centered bitch."

"But getting Rosalie on Jacob's side was hard."

"She wasn't on his side, completely, though, and that was what did it." Renesmee said, thinking back. "She still stood up for me, but when she started agreeing with things he was saying..." She trailed off, shaking her head in amusement. "I felt like Chicken Little - like the sky was falling and I was going to get crushed."

"I made you cry," Jen responded, a little pout on her face.

The younger girl laughed, giving her friend another elbow. "I made _you_ cry for selfish reasons. You made me cry because I never thought about how _you_ look at having children. I suppose Joham had a little to do with that." She laced her fingers through the dark haired girl's. "I wasn't that bad, but it still freaked you out. You just needed to voice your opinion. Loudly, I might add." Renesmee chuckled.

"Love you, baby."

"Love you, too. And I'm sorry." Jen's electric eyes were a softer, gentler shade of blue.

"I'm sorry, too." Renesmee smiled. "So it's okay."

"And anyway, we all have regrets." Jen's head snapped forward again, her eyes a little wet. Jen _hated_ crying, so she probably wanted the breeze in her face.. "What would your life be if it had been perfect the entire time?"

"We wouldn't be in Cuba." The vacation had been Seth's idea - time away from her family to focus on her husband. "You and Seth might not have met."

Jennifer's lips curled into another smile. "That's true. And I like Seth."

"Still no sex?"

"Still no sex." Jen's eyes were softer now. "It's okay, though. I really do like him, and I know what sex is like when you just throw it around. I'd like to have meaningful sex before I die."

"And you want to have meaningful sex with Seth?" Renesmee was keeping her fingers crossed for her friend. She needed a man in her life, and not one that would be replaced in a week.

"I think so," Jennifer said thoughtfully. "He's already invited me to Miami any time I need a break. _And_," she said, seeming to be fighting back laughter, "he said I can sleep in the spare bedroom if I want."

"Nice."

"Yes, I think we'll get along quite well." Jennifer glanced over her shoulder. They were too far to see the boys anymore. "He's a really good kisser," she giggled.

"Oh, God." Renesmee sighed. "Just remember, he is, in a loop the loop way, my uncle."

"Your step-uncle," Jen responded, smirking. "The son of the Quielute wife of your human grandfather. Which makes his sister..."

"You laugh, but I call her Aunt Leah to her face." Renesmee shook her head a little. "Leah scares me a little. My mom's even wary of her."

"Your mom's a baller." Jen raised her eyebrows. "Do I have anything to worry about with her when she makes your mom nervous?"

"I don't know." The redhead kicked at some sand. "Seth's been single for so long. I mean, Jesus, even _she's_ got a man in her life." She laughed. "Leah's not married, but still - she's finally moving on from her ex." Renesmee sighed a happy sigh. "I'm so glad I don't have to deal with any of that in my life."

"Me, too." Jennifer scoffed at Renesmee's raised eyebrows. "I've never really been in a relationship. This is new for me. Tell me more about Leah."

"This is fun," Nessie beamed. "There's not much to tell you haven't heard in some story or another - I know you and Uncle Jasper like your history chats." She giggled.

"It gives you and Alice time to shop."

"Leah just wants Seth to be happy. I remember her being a lot angrier when I was a kid, but she was really unhappy then. She's older now. Calmer. She understands what it means to be happy, and she just wants that for him, whether it means a wife and kids, or someone to just love him his entire life." She sighed. This was the difficult part. "Seth's biggest fear is life is imprinting and having to dump someone." Renesmee felt her lips curl into a smile as a warm breeze brushed away her hair. "Jacob's theory is that there won't be an imprint for Seth."

"I hope not." Jen sighed, kicking some sand as she walked. "I like him."

"I know." Renesmee narrowed her eyes, just a bit. "You know, if you break him, I'll find a way to kill you."

Jennifer laughed. "Don't worry. Seth's heart is safe with me."

"And anyway, as far as kids go, I don't even think he _wants_ kids." She looked a little sheepish. "I think we scared him off."

"I don't know if I do, either," Jen replied. "I know everything will shut down later, so why worry?" She smiled slightly. "I'll just play it safe until then."

"You have to have sex with him first," Renesmee reminded her.

"Yes. Meaningful sex."

Back down the beach, Seth and Jacob hadn't moved so much as an inch, except to grab more beer. Jacob had let his eyes drift close, and he was thinking of drifting off when Seth's voice interrupted.

"So, the fighting seems to have stopped."

"Hmm?" Jacob opened his eyes.

"You and Nessie. It was rough there, for a while." Seth's voice held concern. "I still can't believe she actually left."

Jacob shuddered a little, the memory of the blackest days of his marriage not ones he cared to spend a great deal of time with. Still, cleansing would probably be a good thing - that was what vacation was for, right? "I know. It sucked. I was happy for about a day when she came home. Then it was just weird. We'd have this occasional, shitty sex about once a week or two, and she just kind of moped. She stopped giving a shit about what she looked like and just started packing. She was going to do that, anyway, but it was like this thing she just constantly did for three weeks, like a robot. She'd barely talk when she was doing it. Then Jen came for a few days." Jacob rolled his eyes. "They got in this screaming match, and when I tried to mediate, they both of them ripped me a new ass hole. Honestly, Jen was kind of pissed at me, too. It was nice to have somebody mad at me again."

"What do you mean?" Seth was propped up, looking curious through his shades.

"That whole family got behind me when they found out what was going on." Jacob shook his head, gazing out over the ocean, which was starting to darken just a shade as the sun shifted. Even no longer matching the sky, it was beautiful. "Bella, Rosalie, and Esme supported her and talked to her a lot, but even they agreed with me that she wasn't ready yet." He shook his head again, still a little bewildered. "That seemed to be the final straw."

Seth blinked. "But Rosalie? She didn't agree with you, did she?"

"She did, when it mattered." Jacob could still remember the feeling like the world had just tilted on its side. He felt like he was in that painting with the melted clocks. "She told Ness she wanted her to have kids someday, and Ness asked, 'Why someday?'"

"And Rosalie actually told her..." Seth trailed off.

"She had this look on her face like she wanted to cry." Jacob shuddered. Rosalie's torn visage was not one he remembered with joy, strangely enough. He'd looked at her and seen a tragic woman with a tragic past, and her words had been heavy. "Her exact words were, 'Because you're just not quite ready.' That was it. Ness just turned around, walked out, and didn't talk to _anybody_ for two days."

"Not even Bella?"

"Nope. I'd come in for bed or whatever and she wouldn't say a word. She just curled up in bed and lay there. Then it was moving day. She got up, took a shower, and just started working again, but she was more determined. And Ness never talked about the whole thing, as far as I know. I don't even know if Jen knows. She was just back to work, but she was trying to be chatty and funny again. And by the time we got to Jersey, she was fine. It was like she just snapped out of this haze she'd been in. Doesn't even want kids right now." He laughed at the irony. "Says she wants to finish school first."

"I still can't believe she quit," Seth said. "She never quits anything. Couldn't she have transferred?"

"She could have. The credits are still good, and some of them could transfer out east. Anyway, the one time I asked her about it later, when things were better again, and she said it was a sacrifice she had to make."

"A sacrifice for what?"

"Me." Jacob sighed. "She still wouldn't talk about anything that happened with her and Rosalie. I don't think they really spoke much more than pleasantries for the whole time we were moving, and it was only logistical stuff. Made me feel guilty as shit as first, but she swore it was for the best. And she wanted a break - wanted to stay home a little."

"How's that going?" Seth laughed. "I have a hard time picturing her at home, cooking and cleaning all day. She's just not that kind of girl."

Jacob laughed, the feeling of humor filling his veins. "She spends all day at home with Esme. I think she gets a little stir crazy sometimes, but Esme is a good influence. Turns out, she and Carlisle had some nasty fights when Edward left. She and Carlisle hadn't been together that long, so things were different then."

"And look at them now."

"Yeah. Fucking like teenagers when they think nobody's paying attention." Jacob smiled. "So there's hope."

"Hell yes, there's hope." Seth sat up, pulling off his sunglasses. "You guys are meant to be."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I know that. I can't breathe without her," he reminded his friend. "I love her more than I love the breath in my own lungs. But dammit, she was fucking wrong and I knew it! Just saying."

Seth burst out laughing. "Alright, I'll give you that. She's worse than anyone I've ever met when it comes to admitting she's wrong. But in her defense, she's usually right."

Jacob hated to admit it. "I guess when you're right, you're right." He heaved a sigh.

Seth mercifully changed the subject to something more entertaining. "So how's it living with the Cullens?"

"Holy fuck." Jacob burst out laughing. "I knew they were nuts, but I had no idea. They're pretty cool about stuff, though - they'll all leave hunting and leave us home alone. It's nice to have the place to ourselves. Especially since they're all loud as fuck when they're home."

"Fucking?"

"Not just fucking." Jacob stared up into the endless blue sky. "They fight loud, too. Edward and Rosalie are the worst, but Emmett and Bella probably fight the dirtiest. Literally. It's like who can one up each other with the nastiest pranks."

"Bella's turned into kind of a tough bitch."

"You sound proud."

"I am." Seth puffed up a little bit. "I love Leah, and I'll kill you if you tell her this, but sometimes, Bella's my favorite sister. She makes really good food and she gives really good hugs," he defended himself when Jacob started to chuckle. "And Bella's the one who suggested Miami. Best decision I ever made."

"Where will you go after?" Seth couldn't stay in Miami forever.

"I don't know. Maybe I won't work for a while - buy a little house somewhere quiet and disappear for a few years."

"Alone?"

"Not sure." Seth sounded thoughtful. "Jennifer is..." He seemed to struggle for a minute, then he removed his sunglasses again, his eyes narrowed. "If you tell anyone I said this, I'll kill you. She's... captivating."

"Wow." Jacob drained the rest of his beer. "Big word. You want another?"

"Yeah." Seth sighed, staring out over the ocean. "I've never wanted to sleep with a woman so badly in my life, when at the same time, I want to try to have an actual relationship with her."

Jacob stared at Seth. "You know Sue's gonna shit herself," he warned, "if you bring a girlfriend home."

"She'll start begging me for grandkids." Seth rolled his eyes. "Hell no. Not yet, anyway."

"Not yet?" Jacob stared. "I thought you said you never wanted kids."

"I didn't." Seth shrugged. "Still not sure I do. But if I were going to have them, I think I could do it with her."

"I'm not allowed to tell anyone this, am I?"

"Only Edward, because he'll find out, anyway. But nobody else. And he better keep his mouth shut. Seriously." Seth put back down his shades. "He makes a peep, no more stock market."

Jacob laughed. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. Playing with your money is one of Edward's favorite things to do."

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That night found them in a smoky bar down the beach, on the edge of the little Cuban town they were visiting. Jennifer's fluent Spanish came in useful as she ordered them shots and mixed drinks the locals enjoyed. The four of them ate and laughed, and Jacob sat with one arm draped loosely over Renesmee's shoulders. He kept touching her skin - her shoulders, arms, elbows, neck. Once and a while, when Seth and Jen were engaged in lively discussion or away at the bar, he'd pulled her in to kiss her, succeeding in setting her on fire but not doing anything to help put out the blaze. It was made worse when Seth and Jen headed up to the bar for a round of shots and Jacob had pulled her in for another kiss, this time one hand sneaking under the table and up her skirt.

After three hours, she couldn't handle anymore. Seth and Jacob excused themselves to the restroom, and Renesmee huffed when they were gone.

"Mother fucker," she growled. "He'd better fuck me good later." The alcohol had loosened her tongue.

Jen smirked. "Who says you have to wait?" She nodded toward the bathroom. "The bathroom doors have locks on them."

"I shouldn't have eaten those brownies," Renesmee groaned.

"That's not why you're horny," Jen said, rolling her eyes. "You're turned on because you're used to screwing ten times a day."

"True." Renesmee let her head fall to the side. "I did only have sex with him this morning."

"Jesus, I was kidding." Jen laughed. "Go."

Renesmee looked over her shoulder, then back at her friend. "Seriously?"

"Why not? Have you never..."

"Why would I need to have sex with my husband in a public restroom?"

"Seriously?"

"Back of the car a couple of times, but never a public restroom."

"Fuck." Jen shook her head. "You've gotta get on that, girl. It's your vacation." She breathed the last word, and her Latin accent was thick.

"Fuck it," Renesmee said, reaching over to take a shot of rum that was still on the table. "I'm not wearing any underwear."

"Oh, go, girl!" Jennifer clapped her hands like a cheerleader. "Get in there!"

Nobody seemed to notice her enter the men's room, and she didn't think about it until after, but she could have well seen far too much of her uncle. As it was, Seth was bent over the sink while Jacob stood next to him, rolling his eyes. Seth scrambled a little, but Renesmee rolled her eyes.

"Jesus, Seth, where the hell did you even find that?"

"Local guy." Seth grinned. "This hot girl I know helped me out." He held out a little straw. "You want some? You can't overdose - I've tried. It just gets you really high."

"When the fuck did you try to overdose on coke?" Jacob sounded a little pissed.

"Long story." Seth wiped his nose. "The more important question at hand is, why is Nessie in the men's room?"

"Out, Seth."

"Oooh," Seth said, grinning. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked a little maniacal. "Sassy Nessie."

"Out!"

Seth left, cackling, and she snapped the lock behind him. Jacob was staring at her, confused.

"Why are you in the men's room?" He sounded honestly confused.

"Take off your pants," she ordered.

Jacob blinked. "Huh?"

She was across the room in less time than it took to blink, and she unbuttoned his shorts, pushing them down and dropping to her knees. He was half hard already - not a huge surprise - and his hands were in her hair the second he was in her mouth. She sucked hard while he moaned over her, his head falling back.

"What the hell," he gasped, "has gotten into you?"

Pulling back, she cocked her head and stared up at him disbelievingly. "Really?"

"I thought you could wait until we got home, at least."

She laughed. "When can I ever wait that long?" A smirk curled her lips as she wrapped a hand around him, twisting gently as it moved back and forth along him. He groaned. "That's what back seats, coat closets, garages, and bathrooms are for."

"You're right," he said quickly. "You don't have to stop." He pulled her head forward and she let him, opening her mouth and taking him back in. She released him after a few minutes with a dirty popping sound, and he moaned in protest.

"Now," she ordered, "fuck me."

"Yes, ma'am." Jacob grinned. "Where? Floor, wall, stall..."

"Stall." She glanced back at the door. "Just in case."

It was like it had been when they were younger, when her parents could come home at any minute. Clothes were pushed aside, and she was pushed against the wall. She wrapped her legs tight around his waist as he pushed into her.

He held still for a moment, and her eyes rolled briefly into the back of her head before focusing back on his. They were staring hazily into her face.

"Fast or slow?" he grunted, shifting her slightly in his arms and shifting himself in the process. She moaned.

"Fast."

At one point, she made too much noise for him, and he clapped a hand over her mouth. She moaned through it anyway and came violently in his arms. He released a minute later, filling her and moaning into her hair. They stayed together for a minute before he let her down.

"Thank you." She straightened her skirt, grinning at her husband, panting and leaning against the wall. She laughed when he slumped against the wall a little more heavily, reaching forward to tuck him back into his shorts.

"Thank _you_." Jacob's eyes were somehow blacker than usual. "You're incredible, you know?"

"Oh, I know." She winked, then dashed from the stall.

Back in the bar, Seth and Jen were nowhere to be found. Their table was deserted, so she followed their lingering scents outside.

"Oh, baby Jesus." Renesmee stared when she finally found them. "You two have issues."

"Well," Jen said, sounding very serious, "if you must know, we heard there was a show going on in the bathroom. There's a little vent there - you can hear everything." She grinned down from her palm tree.

Her mouth fell open. "You came out here to listen to us having sex?"

"Speed record," Seth said, nodding seriously. "I told her you guys are speed demons when you want to be."

The door to the bar swung open again and Jacob stumbled out. Renesmee hadn't realized that she'd made _that_ big of a mess of his hair, and she burst into giggles when she saw him, already shaggier than he normally was, with absolute sex hair.

Seth chuckled, the sound low and rumbly, but it was Jennifer's laugh that caught her breath. The older girl positively cackled with delight, like some beautiful goddess of the underworld. Tears actually streamed down her face, and she clutched her sides.

Jacob stared at her for a minute before chucking. "You were right about her sex drive," he said, nodding at his wife. Jen's laughs doubled. "Wild and crazy woman, my wife."

"Excuse me?" Seth was staring at Jennifer, a little taken aback by her sudden burst of humor. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jacob grinned, nodding at Jennifer. "She said they all have that sex drive." He laughed. "Half vampires."

Seth blinked rapidly. "Interesting."

By the time Jen finally stopped laughing and had subsided into soft giggles every now and then, they were almost back to their little bungalow. Seth had his arm wrapped around Jen's waist, supporting her, and Renesmee watched as they walked ahead of them.

"I don't want to go home," Jen sighed, staring up at the bright moon. "I like it here. It's warm and bright."

"Come to Miami." Seth's voice was a little pleading, and Renesmee realized that they probably wouldn't see each other for a while after they got back. Jen still lived in her house on the lake, and Seth lived on the beach in Florida. "You'll miss the sun, and I'll miss you, so you're good."

"Killing two birds with one stone," Jen laughed.

"Right." Seth grinned, tugging her a little closer. "I'll pay for your plane ticket and everything, and you can stay with me and I'll even cook for you."

Jennifer giggled. "You cook?"

"I have to," Seth insisted. This was true. "You've seen how much Jake and I eat."

Jacob snorted, but he didn't move his face from her hair. Renesmee grinned and kept steering them.

Inside, they all went their separate ways, and Renesmee tucked in her drunken husband into their king size bed. His snoring started immediately, and she rolled her eyes. She changed into shorts and a t-shirt before making her way out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen. She could hear voices from down the hall, and she sat silently in the kitchen, drinking a beer she found in the fridge.

"I'm serious." Seth's voice was, oddly, very serious. She'd only heard it like that a few times before in her life. "I don't... I don't want to lead you on. I don't want to mess it up with you - I like you."

There was a soft, gentle laugh. "And I told you, you're not." The older woman's voice was very gentle and crooning. "You know I like you, too. I just want to be with you whenever I can. So let's just see what happens, okay?"

"'kay." Seth sounded about twelve, and Renesmee smiled. "I'm still not going to have sex with you yet, though." He cracked up laughing when she made a frustrated noise, and the laughter was followed by Jennifer's voice. "I might never see you again if I just give in." His voice was teasing.

"Fuck you." There was the sound of a smack, and Seth's laughter doubled.

Unable to see, Renesmee listened. She could also hear Jacob snoring, and she wondered if they'd even heard her in the kitchen. Maybe they thought she was sleeping.

"I said I wouldn't have sex with you," Seth repeated, his laughter subsiding. "I didn't say I wouldn't touch you." His statement was followed by a soft gasp. "We both know I can get you off just fine like this." There was a soft chuckle under the sound of a moan. "We've got to slow down after this."

Jen laughed. Renesmee registered that, while Jen laughed around her enough, she'd never heard the older woman laugh this much, and at the oddest times.

"Don't worry," she said softly. "I wasn't planning on being abstinent through this trip, so I just need you to not leave me hanging entirely."

Seth laughed. "Likewise."

Oh, Jesus. Renesmee wanted to get off the stool, but she couldn't move.

Jen must have said something silently in his ear, because Seth chuckled suddenly, responding to something she'd not heard. The sound was warm and low. "No, baby," he said. "We're both kind of fucked up. It's not right."

"Seriously?" Jen's voice was disbelieving, and there was a slapping sound again, followed by a little noise of indignation from Seth. "You've never messed around with a fucked up girl?"

"You're different," he insisted. "You're important to me."

There was a pause, then a soft thump and a soft laugh from Jen. "It's not fair when you leave yourself out. You're important to me, too, and it's not the first time I've done this to you." She giggled. "Likewise, like you said."

"No, just the second," Seth said, clearly trying to argue, but he cut off with a long moan. "You really shouldn't..." He trailed off, groaning. "Fine, but get up here with me." There was a squeal from Jen and the squeaking of bedsprings. "On top, baby." His voice was husky. "Get those legs up here for me."

Renesmee glanced around the kitchen, trying very hard not to burst into giggles. She saw Seth's phone next to Jen's cigarettes, and she tiptoed over to pick them up. At this point, careful movements really didn't matter anymore. They were both groaning and didn't stop when she opened the refrigerator again, bottles clinking inside. She darted outside with a fresh beer and walked closer to the beach. She sat down in the sand about twenty yards from the house, sighing contentedly as she lit one of Jen's cigarettes. She could no longer hear her friend or her uncle, and she dialed a number on Seth's phone, which, of course, worked anywhere in the world there was a signal. The other line rang briefly before a female voice answered.

"Hello?"

"It's Renesmee." She grinned.

"Oh, my God." Leah's voice got a little excited, and Renesmee laughed. "What's going on? Are they having sex yet?"

"Not exactly. He still says no, but apparently he's not unwilling to engage in other activities."

"But he won't actually have sex with her?"

"Nope."

"Wow." Leah sounded impressed. "I was starting to worry he'd never settle down."

"He really seems to like her," Renesmee said. "They work well together. She's exactly the kind of woman he needs to be with, and he makes her laugh harder than I've ever heard her laugh before."

"You think I should wait to tell Mom?"

"Probably." Renesmee laughed. "Let Seth get used to the idea of having a girlfriend first. He's already invited her to Miami several times."

"You think she'll go?"

"She doesn't seem nuts about going back to Ohio in the first place, especially when she could be with him, so I think she will."

"If she fucks up, I'll kill her."

"Oh, I know." Renesmee smiled. "I've already gotten her to be a little scared of you."

"Good girl." In the background, Renesmee could hear a good deal of chattering. "Hey, I've got to go. I'm out with some friends, but call me when you get back, okay?"

"No problem." Behind her, she heard footsteps in the sand, and she glanced over her shoulder to see her husband, a scowl on his face and two beers in his hand. "I'll talk to you later."

She hung up as Jacob plopped down beside her. She drained her beer and took the new one he offered. "I'm impressed they actually woke you up."

"I thought they weren't having sex," Jacob said, sulking a little.

"They're not," she laughed. "I'm pretty sure they're giving the old sixty-nine a shot. Proper goodbye, and all, I think."

"That's nasty."

"Now you know how Quil used to feel when we'd fuck in his house and he had to listen."

Jacob blinked. "Fuck. I hate karma."

She laughed, lodging her beer in the sand and climbing to straddle his lap, pulling his head against her chest and rocking him back and forth. "Poor baby."

He chuckled, putting his beer down as well and letting his hands rest on her thighs. "I like you like this," he said, nuzzling her exposed cleavage. "You're happy."

"You make me happy," she insisted.

"Still trying to fix things," he mumbled. He sounded half asleep, and she wondered if he'd meant to say it.

She didn't respond, instead playing with his long hair between her fingers. His hands slowly moved, leaving her thighs so one could go to her back and one to the curve of her side. His lips brushed softly along her skin, and she shuddered, despite the warm breeze.

"Beautiful," he murmured. "I love you."

"Love you, too." She smiled down at him, then inhaled the scent of him mixed with salt water and sand. "Want to come for a swim? Might keep you awake long enough to stay out here."

"You're sure they're not fucking?"

Her smirk curled her lips, and she liked to think the expression was a little sexy. "What are we usually doing when you request me to 'swing my legs up' while I'm giving you head?"

"How do you know she was giving him head?"

"I know the Slurpee sounds." She tossed her hair. "Answer my question."

"I don't want to," he said, and his voice was pleading. "I know the answer."

"As long as you know." She smirked again.

"Swimming," he said, leaning back and patting her on the back like an old friend, which she was. "Swimming sounds wonderful."

"Alrighty." She laughed, climbing off of him, peeling off her shirt.

"What are you doing?" he asked, sounding honestly confused. He was so fucking cute when he was tired - like a little boy. She wondered briefly what a boy of theirs would look like, but she pushed the thought away. She couldn't handle kids right now. Hell, she could barely handle herself.

"I'm not going in my clothes." She rolled her eyes. "This is Dior, baby."

"It's a t-shirt."

"It's Dior." She dropped her shorts. "And these are Calvin Klein, and this," she laughed, flicking her underwear in her face, "is Victoria's Secret."

His eyes narrowed. He rose to his feet and dropped his shorts. She raised her eyebrows, and he rolled his eyes. "Ralph Lauren."

"Very good." She grinned, then after a quick glance to ensure that no one was around, she shot at full speed into the water. She was submerged immediately.

She popped up a minute later, a few yards from where Jacob stood in water up to his waist, hands on his hips, shaking his head.

"Honey, I know you can hold your breath," he reminded her. He grinned, stepping closer. "You don't have to make me worry."

"You should know better than to worry," she chided, grinning and swimming away from him. "I know when to stop."

"Do you?"

The double meaning was clear, and she smiled up at him. "Notice," she reminded him, "that I _did_ stop. To come up for air, I mean."

"I know." His face was a little conflicted. "Is that all?"

"I'm fine." Taking a few strokes forward, she found her footing, her torso still submerged. "I learned my lesson."

"Did you?"

"Shut up," she said, reaching forward to give him a gentle shove. He grinned. "You know I did."

"Just as long as you're sure." He leaned back, swimming slowly backward. "I had to have the conversation with Seth. You know, the 'Are you okay?' and 'Let's talk about it,' conversation."

"Oh, my _God_!" She let herself flop onto her back, floating on her back lazily. She still wore a cotton camisole, and she felt the breeze cool the wet fabric. "I had that conversation with Jen today, too. It was good, though." Gazing thoughtfully up at the stars, she added, "Therapeutic."

"Good." His voice was a little amused. "You can tell me later when I'm not trying to get those sounds out of my head."

She laughed, dropping her feet to the sand again. "I'm pretty sure they think we're passed out."

"Oh, yeah." Jacob laughed. "I even heard him tell her not to worry at one point."

"We have to give them shit tomorrow," Renesmee insisted. "We can't not after tonight."

"No joke." His fingers wrapped around her ankles, pulling her closer, slowly. "Can we change the subject?"

It was silent for a moment while she considered her answer. "I have one item of clothing you can still remove."

She never saw the camisole again, but she didn't care. Because he was with her, in her, making her shake and arch and feel nothing but love.

And of course, in the morning, as they packed their bags to head home, Renesmee made it a point to ensure that Seth's face turned several shades of red.

_a/n I hope you liked it! This was a therapeutic experience for me, and I thank you for getting on the ride with me. You guys really are the best. We live in a time of nasty, flaming comments and lightly used words, and I love having readers that appreciate the power of words, and that leave the greatest feedback a girl could ask for. And yes, I've been spending too much time reading comments on Youtube. You have to admit, some of the fights people get into are quite amusing..._

_Now review, you fiends!_


	42. Black Tie Dinner

_a/n My profound apologies for this taking so long. See the note at the bottom._

_Don't know if someone suggested this, but I know similar ideas have been thrown around. I couldn't have come up with this one alone, so this is for you... Set in June, about 2 years after double date vacation._

_**BLACK TIE DINNER**_

"So, remind me again why we're in Cleveland?" Renesmee scrunched her nose a little. It wasn't that she disliked visiting her friend, it was that she wasn't a huge fan of the larger cities of Ohio in general. She much preferred the rural life the state had to offer.

"It's a dinner to support the arts," Jacob reminded her. "It's a good cause. And it's an excuse to watch Seth in a tux, which is always fun."

"I know." She huffed, leaning back in her seat a little. "At least we get a nice hotel."

"Not sure there's much nicer in Cleveland than the Ritz," he assured her. He made a turn onto another street, and she gazed out the window. "And Seth booked us a suite, so it'll be like a vacation."

"I miss vacations." She sighed. "It needs to become an annual thing. And this trip doesn't count. They'd be here, anyway, so it's not a vacation for them."

"It's a weekend," Jacob argued, "and Seth lives in Miami, so he had to fly up."

"He drove up three weeks ago," Renesmee said, smirking a little when Jacob's eyes narrowed. Apparently, Seth hadn't made him privy to this information yet. "Brought a few bags and some boxes."

"You think he'll actually move up with her?"

"For now, until they move again. I think they'll go together after that."

"Seth's moving in with a girl," Jacob mused, shaking his head. "I feel like someone should warn a man when hell freezes over. Hey!" He scowled when she punched his arm, a little harder than she'd meant to. "That kind of hurt."

"Don't be an ass. They've both been alone for a long time. This is a big deal."

"I know. Such a big deal that he didn't tell me. Seriously," he added quickly, dodging another punch. "There's not a whole lot he keeps to himself. The things he does are usually pretty important."

"I still don't understand why he didn't say anything."

"Probably because he doesn't want to jinx it," Jacob sighed. He made a little face, and she stared at him, a little confused by what she saw there.

"What's wrong?"

His hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, for a brief moment, before relaxing again. "I've told him a million times, I don't think he'll imprint. And by don't think, I mean that I have this very strong feeling in my gut that he won't. It feels bigger than just a hope and a prayer. It's like there's some part of me that feels like it's just..." Jacob made a face, glancing over at her. "Don't repeat this, but I just don't feel like it's his destiny. Why is he still here if he's just going to up and leave? If he's with her, then I always have my wing man. It's that part of me that feels like I'm always going to need that."

Renemsee raised her eyebrows. "Destiny?"

"You're half a vampire, and I can shape shift into a huge wolf. Destiny's not that far off a concept."

Renesmee was silent, contemplating. It was hard to argue with the supernatural when it dominated your daily life. It was the supernatural that would allow them to live a long, happy life together. Being around the Cullens constantly had proven to be a good thing for this. The urge to phase never really went away, and every week, they went on their little date in the woods, Jacob proving gleefully that he could still outrun his wife.

And every so often, Jacob would leave on his own for a day or two to race south through the Appalachians, meeting up with Seth to run in places no human dared to go.

"We're here." Her husband's deep voice cut into her thoughts, and she blinked, focusing on the car in front of theirs. Jacob grinned at her, climbing out. Her own door popped open and a man in a uniform was standing outside, holding out a hand. She smiled, letting him help her out of the car is if it were _so_ very helpful, watching as another man unloaded the contents of their trunk, loading them up and rolling them inside.

"This is nice," she conceded. Jacob's smile was a little smug.

"I'm going to find out if Seth's here or not," Jacob said, glancing toward the front desk. "You want to grab a drink?"

She winked, turning on her heal and clicking away toward the little bar. She used to wonder why hotels had bars, but now she knew - seven hours in a car was only so much fun.

She smiled her best smile as she approached the bar, and sure enough, the young man behind it was standing in front of her, smiling back, happy to help. She loved that she didn't feel out of place in designer clothes and shoes, holding her Coach purse and wearing a big diamond ring on her finger. She felt a little important, actually, and it was nice. It made her miss Chicago, where she'd blended right in, as well. It wasn't that Princeton was a slum by any means, but it just wasn't the same. To be honest, it reminded her of Cleveland. Only, cleaner, with more money, and lacking that constant hospitality you could only find in the Midwest.

"What can I get you?" The man had a lilt to his words, like he'd moved here from somewhere out east.

"Double Jameson, straight up." She smiled sweetly, enjoying the little blink before he complied.

"If I didn't know you were on vacation, I'd be worried about your drink choice." Her head snapped to stare at the man who had just seated himself next to her, and the smile on her face changed into a real one. She squealed a little before throwing herself at her uncle. He lifted her off the floor, laughing. "Nice to see you, too."

When she was on her feet with a drink in her hand, she looked him over. His hair looked freshly cut, and he was wearing a very nicely cut suit. "What is _that_?" She leaned around him, patting around his chest until she found what she wanted. "Armani?"

"It is." He puffed up his chest, and she laughed. "Proud?"

"I am." She downed half the Jameson and surveyed him again. "Why so fancy?"

"Company executives." Seth waved his hand vaguely, sliding his own glass, empty, across the bar. He nodded at the bartender, who began mixing what looked like a Tom Collins. "Lunch thing. Always fucking boring. I just sat there and drank scotch."

"Why did you have to go?" She downed the rest of the whisky, sighing in relief and sliding the tumbler back.

Seth sighed, rubbing his temples. "They were in town, I was in town, they hadn't seen me in a while..." When the bartender was back across the bar, having refreshed their drinks, he spoke softly so only they could hear. "I don't know how much longer I can do this. They have to already know something's up, but they seem like the really don't care."

"You're smart," Renesmee assured him. "They like that. It's more important to them that that you're not getting any older."

"I guess." Seth shrugged.

"So you think you'll leave Miami?" She couldn't help it, knowing that even though it was Seth's business, she'd find out eventually.

"More than likely. It's a little easier for us to stay in one place, so if we can find somewhere isolated, we should be in good shape." Seth smiled, and the expression made his face boyish. She'd seen pictures of him from before she was born, and this face matched them exactly. "She just wants to be near water."

"Not too difficult."

"My prerequisite is that it's relatively remote." Seth sipped his drink, looking thoughtful. "Probably Canada, but there's a couple places in the Carolinas on the coast where there aren't a lot of people. I've got a few leads on some different places. I just want somewhere I can stay in one place, and no one will bother us."

Renesmee glanced around the bar. " Where is Jen?"

"Showering." Seth grinned. "She wanted to be ready earlier, but hey, what can you do?" He shrugged.

Renesmee blinked at Seth's smug face. "You're the reason she's late, aren't you?" Seth said nothing, instead choosing to sip his drink.

Footsteps reached her ears, their familiar cadence ringing out like a voice. Turning, she saw Jacob walking toward them, a broad smile on his face. "I called up to your room, and a kind of pissed off woman told me you were already down here."

"Ah." Seth nodded, sipping his drink. "So she's out of the shower, then."

Jacob shook his head, sitting down. "They'll bring the luggage up when we're ready. I told her we'd give her a few minutes."

A few minutes turned into an hour, until Seth's phone vibrated with a message. He chuckled, announcing that Jennifer was ready, and that they could come up. They followed the man with their luggage onto the elevator and up.

Seeing her old friend made her feel like a little girl, like she had the first time she'd met Jen and found a friend in someone like herself. Jennifer was the only friend she had that truly understood what it was like to be her - a hybrid vampire, somewhat isolated, and paired with a man who shape shifted into a giant wolf. Jennifer had called her the first night she'd seen Seth phase, awed by the transformation and a little freaked out. Renesmee had talked her through it, and they'd laughed for hours afterward.

"This is nice," Renesmee finally said, glancing around.

"The Executive Suite," Seth said, grinning. "Not the biggest, but the rest are kind of gaudy."

"Not if you like pastel green," Jen corrected. "This is much more our style."

"Expensive and sexy," Renesmee added, giggling. Jacob just rolled his eyes, tipping the young man who'd brought up their luggage and thanking him. "So what's the plan?"

"The dinner's tomorrow," Jennifer said, sitting down on the couch, "so we're on our own until then."

"I'm taking you guys out," Seth announced, clapping his hands together. "Best steak dinner in Cleveland - what do you say?"

Immediately, Jennifer was off, grabbing her by the hand and dragging her into the bedroom, which she proclaimed was for Renesmee, since they'd already decided to sleep on the pullout in the living area. Renesmee had argued, but Seth had waved a hand, laughing and saying their activities would be the same regardless of where they slept, and she'd blushed, making Seth roar with more laughter. Jen picked out a green Escada dress for her to wear before pulling her into the bathroom to primp. They chatted about her trip and Seth moving in while they readied themselves.

"Just be ready," Renesmee warned, finishing her mascara with a flair. "Those boys can eat a _lot_."

"It's alright." Jen grinned into the mirror. "Food is easier to cook when you make it in bulk. You add more ingredients and it doesn't get crowded. I always loved cooking - I just didn't always appreciate it as much as others."

"Does he like your cooking?" The redhead gave her older friend a mockingly serious look. "It could be a deal breaker."

Jennifer laughed outright. "The first night I cooked for him, I warned him it was going to take a few hours, but he insisted he wanted to sample what I could dish out. He finally got to eat, and I really thought he was going to get down on his knees. I've never seen a man eat like that."

They'd emerged forty-five minutes later to find Jacob and Seth shooting quarters into a glass tumbler, taking swigs from a bottle of Jack when the other got a shot in. The exceptional thing was that they were in the opposite corner of the room, aiming the coins with less room for error. They'd stopped immediately, and Jacob tried to inconspicuously slide the bottle onto an end table. Jennifer shook her head, her raven hair tossing lightly as she did so.

"Boys," she said, rolling her blue eyes. Renesmee giggled before letting her friend lead them out of the room.

"Are we walking?" Renesmee looked back at Seth as they climbed onto the elevator.

"Nope." He grinned. "Car service. Compliments of my boss. Told me to enjoy my weekend."

Seth had reserved them a quiet corner table where they could drink and laugh, and for three hours, Renesmee felt like no time had passed. It was like the first vacation they'd had together - the girls drinking and giggling behind their hands while the boys laughed and elbowed each other once and a while, exchanging a meaningful look. The steak Seth had boasted to be the best in town lived up to its expectations, bleeding all over her plate and making her mouth water with each exquisite bite. Jacob kept rubbing her knee, touching her bare shoulder, or brushing her hair at any chance he got, and she got the distinct impression that he wasn't trying to claim her, but that he was proud. She'd seen it before with him. He had gained the ability to contain any jealousy when men stared at her (with a few exceptions from time to time), and to puff up is chest with pride in having a beautiful, intelligent wife.

A beautiful wife who he loved to dress up in designer lingerie, only to rip it off later.

A beautiful wife with a bit of a temper she was still trying to learn to control. A wife that really didn't deserve him.

Four in the morning found Renesmee awake while Jacob snored at her side, and she watched him sleep, thinking. Things were different with him now, and she found herself wondering about the change. Certainly, her youthful days of wanting children seemed to have passed, but it seemed like more than that. She had the ability to grow and change, unlike her family, and that ability seemed mental as well as physical. Her flares of temper were diminishing the more she tried to be aware of them, but from time to time, she'd wind up in some heated discussion and hear her voice beginning to rise, despite her efforts to stay calm.

And throughout it all, her poor husband wound up, more often than not, in the crossfire. Somehow, though, he kept finding it in himself to forgive her, insisting that she was getting better and that he loved her.

She didn't notice Jacob had stopped snoring until he spoke, his voice muffled. "I can feel you staring. It's creepy."

Renesmee laughed softly. "Sorry. Go back to sleep."

"Nope." He grunted, rolling onto his back and pulling himself back to lean against the pillows behind them. "I can hear the cogs."

"It's four in the morning."

Jacob squinted. "Four fifteen. What's up, kid?"

"I'm just thinking," she mused. "Trying to figure out when we started to turn into grown ups."

"Probably around the time you stopped putting the wrong priorities in the wrong places." He yawned, rubbing his face. "Why are you thinking about this now?"

"Because it's four in the morning and I'm awake." She smiled, running her fingers through his messy hair. "Can't help it. I always ponder the big questions when you're sleeping."

"Nice to know you stare at me on a nightly basis."

A soft laugh escaped her lips, and she brushed his hair back out of his face to better see his eyes. They were muddled with sleep, but there was still that little spark of energy that was always present there. "It's morning."

"Whatever." He blinked rapidly a few times. "I'm hungry."

Renesmee reached for her phone, beginning a search. "Let's see if there's anywhere open right now."

"Like, go out to eat?" Jacob seemed to perk up a little bit at this. "Best places are still open."

Renesmee smiled at her phone. "If by best places you mean greasy diner food, then I think we're in luck."

It was early and there was little traffic, but Jacob still managed to hail a cab. They'd dressed in jeans and t-shirts with baseball caps, Renesmee joking that they looked like an oddly matched couple in more than one way. Her Sox and his Mariners caps in Ohio made the height difference between them even more comical.

"So, apparently, Seth and Jen are pretty much living together." Renesmee's voice was business-like, and Jacob chuckled as he stared out at the lake. "He's officially out of Miami in another month."

"I know," Jacob said, sounding a little bored.

"It's a big deal!"

"And you're a girl." Jacob winked. "Don't get me wrong - I like it. But he's trying to be cool about it, so don't ruin it for him."

"I don't ruin anything," she pouted. Jacob's eyebrows raised. "Okay, well, _some_ things I ruin. But I'm not going to ruin anything for them. They're important," she insisted.

Jacob laughed boisterously. "I know, honey. And I know it's important to you," he said, overriding her attempt to interrupt him, "and it's important to me, too. Seth's one of my best friends. He's my man, and I'm happy for him. I just don't feel the need to be quite as gushy about it as you."

"I am not being over dramatic." Renesmee crossed her arms over her chest.

"I didn't say you were." He reached over, rubbing her shoulder. "Calm down."

"Just because I care, I'm gushy," she huffed. "At least I show I care."

Jacob scoffed, dropping his hand and turning back to stare at the window, rubbing his temple with one hand. "You don't have to get so defensive. You're making a deal out of nothing. And I do show I care," he argued. "I just don't show it the same way."

"You laughed at me," she pointed out.

"Jesus," he mumbled, rolling his eyes. "I laugh at everything. If you have to know, I was laughing at the look on your face. You looked like a little kid. It was cute. Sorry."

Sighing, she squeezed her eyes shut and focused on her breathing. "Why," she said, exhaling heavily before continuing, "do I get so pissed at _everything_?"

"You just have a big heart and your dad's temper. It's okay," he reassured her. Rubbing her shoulder again. He was such a good man - why he'd latched onto her was anyone's guess.

"I'm hungry," she said abruptly. "We've got to be almost there." She didn't want to talk about her anger issues anymore.

Ten uncomfortable minutes later, they pulled up in front of a little restaurant, where a handful of patrons were already seated and eating. They took a booth, sliding in silently. She fidgeted with her silverware for a moment, waiting for the waitress, before she sighed heavily, flattening her hands on the table.

"I'm really not ready for kids, am I?" She cocked her head off to the side, staring at him. His face registered a little surprise before going blank. The expression broke her heart a little - it was his automatic response to talking about having kids. "I mean, I go off the handle at the littlest things. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have anybody to call me out on it." She smiled a little at him. "Thanks."

He finally relaxed a little, smiling slightly. "No problem, babe. That's my job."

"Well, my job isn't to flip my shit on you."

"I get to be around for your entire life," he reminded her. "That includes the growing up part. No offense," he said quickly, raising his hands. "I was young and stupid once. You should have met me before you were born."

"I bet you never yelled at people for no reason," she argued.

"Ask your mom," he ordered, raising his eyebrows, "because that's so far from true, it's kind of funny. Besides, you've seen me get pissed."

"Not as often as me," she muttered.

Jacob sighed, his face looking a little pained. "Would you please just stop? I'm proud of you for trying to work on your temper, but it's exhausting to hear you kick the shit out of yourself. I was angry a lot of the time when I was younger. Sure the reasons were different, but the feeling was the same. It gets easier the more you have the chance to put things in prospective. It just comes with time, baby. You have to just allow yourself time."

She inhaled deeply, exhaling as she rolled her head back to look at the ceiling. The waitress arrived to take their orders, and she finally smiled a little when Jacob ordered enough food for both of them before, ignoring the raised eyebrows of their waitress, asking what she'd like.

He was too good for her.

They ate in relative silence after that, Renesmee trying to keep her mouth shut to keep from going off again - she still felt irritated, for some reason. She was just like her father, she supposed - it didn't take much to rile her, and once she was fired up, it was hard to put out the flame.

Nothing that day seemed to go quite right after that, and Seth and Jennifer's constant displays of affection didn't help. She wanted to badly to comment on how cute they were, but Jacob's words kept coming back to mind, and she bit her tongue more than once. And more than once, Jacob asked if she was alright, to which she just shrugged and smiled. Their plans to spend the day shopping were halted by rain, which fell in violent torrents, and they were stuck at the hotel all day. Jen didn't seem to mind. She insisted that the rain kept them in in Miami all the time, and they were content to play rummy and poke fun at each other. Jacob read a book and she played cards for a while before, bored, she wandered into the bedroom to lay down. She woke with her hair in an abysmal mess, and found herself rushing to get ready for dinner. As a result, she didn't get to style her hair the way she wanted, and she found herself on the elevator at seven thirty with her hair down and wild. Jennifer had insisted it worked with her dress and that she had amazing curls, and she forced a smile on her face, not wanting to dampen the evening with her gloom.

The dinner was, of course, delicious. They sat with a music history professor, and Jacob, amazing man that he was, got him onto the topic of Russian composers, which was more than enough to distract her through the meal. Then, halfway through, Jen pulled her close to whisper in her ear.

"That guy," she said, nodding toward an attractive young blonde man, "has been checking you out all night."

"And?" Renesmee raised her eyebrows, sipping her wine. "I have a better looking husband."

"Just thought you'd want to know that an objective third party finds you sexy." Jennifer winked. "Lighten up, Edward."

That did it. Renesmee snorted into her wine in a most unladylike fashion, and that seemed to turn off the blonde man. This caused more laughter, and a concerned look from the professor's wife. "Sorry," Renesmee choked, taking a sip of water in a human gesture that did actually serve to calm her a little. "_Boris Godunov_. You were saying?"

Seth rolled his eyes at Jacob, who shook his head. The would have, of course, have heard the entire conversation, and Renesmee had to work to stifle her laughter as Jacob casually draped an arm around her shoulders.

Well, so much for a husband who wasn't jealous. It was nice, though.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/- /-/-/-/

Tuxedos were not really his favorite things in the world, but when necessitated, he had to admit they looked good. And on the plus side, when he wore a tux, his wife usually wore something equally nice.

It was the first time they'd attended a dinner like this without any of her family being somehow involved, and it was by far the fanciest. The crowd looked like New Yorkers, dressed in designer gowns. From the speeches given, it sounded like it was some fairly important organization, one that warranted the large donations Seth gave annually.

His wife had stepped out of the bedroom that night, and he'd very nearly asked her if she just wanted to stay in, not because she looked bad, but because she looked so very sour.

She looked nothing short of stunning. The dress was fairly simple, and one she'd picked for ease of travel. It was vintage and completely covered in gold sequins, and it hugged her hips and torso, the neckline plunging to a few inches above her bellybutton. She wore black shoes that were more or less held on by straps connected to the sole of the shoe. He knew she'd planned to do something elaborate with her hair, but to his pleased surprise, it was down, and it looked like she'd actually teased and sprayed it a bit to make it wilder than usual. She'd made her eyes dark and smoky with makeup, something she didn't usually do, preferring instead to stay fairly natural. Then, she'd added lots of gold jewelry - another oddity. These occasional effects, coupled with the rest, were undeniably and universally sexy.

So, in short, in her eyes, she was nothing short of a disaster.

"Shit, Ness, does your old man know you have that dress?" Seth's eyes narrowed. "I think I need to haver another chat with him about your wardrobe."

"You look hot, honey," Jennifer reassured her. She stepped out from behind her younger friend, and any thoughts of complaining about his niece's wardrobe were apparently gone from Seth's head. His eyes were glued on Jennifer. Even Jacob had to admit, even though he felt no attraction or draw to them, Jennifer really did have nice legs. His wife's were better, but he sometimes wished Renesmee loved a dangerous slit up the skirt as much as her friend. She wore a dark green dress that shimmered and flared when she walked, and a slit that just allowed the dress to cover up anything truly inappropriate. As a result, you could see the majority of Jen's long leg when she walked, boldly extending from the folds of fabric.

"You look amazing." Renesmee frowned slightly, looking a little frustrated. "I look like shit."

Jennifer sighed, trotting over to Seth and rooting through her purse for something, doing her best to ignore her friend.

Walking away from the door and toward him, Renesmee reached up to fix his tie. He smiled, hoping to cheer her up, just a little. "Thanks, babe."

"Mm-hm." She forced that tiny smile on again, the one that he knew took a great deal of effort, but that could actually convince you she was pleased, if you weren't paying close enough attention. She was trying, poor thing. It wouldn't come to a fight, not tonight. Tonight, she really was trying to cheer up, having learned from too much trial and error that once her bad moods started, they were hard to stop. It was a slippery slope into a fight or words she'd regret, and it was his job to try and support her - or, at least, make her laugh.

He let one hand trail down her bare arm, then, after checking to make sure their friends weren't paying attention, let his hand trail up her tiny waist, his thumb brushing the bare skin of her chest. "You look so beautiful," he whispered softly, leaning so his voice was in her ear. "And you know I like your hair better down and messy, anyway."

She actually laughed a little at this, giving him a grateful smile. "I was going to put it up. Didn't work." She rolled her eyes, still managing to smile. "Whatever. I went for the intentionally fucked up look."

"You look like walking sex," Jennifer said, not looking up from her purse. "Just saying. And I don't mind saying we both look good." She did glance back at Seth at this, shaking her butt for him and grinning at him.

"The boys, too." Renesmee's eyes gave him a full once over, and they lightened a bit. "Gotta love Ralph Lauren on a man."

"I know he's your favorite." Jacob straightened his jacket a little, doing up the last button. "Am I good?" She raised her eyebrows, and he laughed.

Jen finally succeeded in fully cheering Renesmee up during dinner, causing his super hot wife to turn into a teenage girl at her first prom in about five seconds, and Jacob found himself wondering why some men tried to keep their wives from their friends. Renesmee was his favorite person in the world, and he hers, but it was nice that there were other people in their lives that could make them laugh.

After dinner, a jazz combo from some state college began playing, the first song being a rather slow one. Renesmee was still just a little pouty, so he did something he hated, pulling her up onto her feet for a dance. And sure enough, once he'd had her in his arms for a minute, swaying gently to the soft music coming from the little band, she started to relax.

"I love you," she said abruptly, her head resting against his chest as he turned them slowly.

He pulled his head back a little to stare at her. "Pray tell, what inclines you to say so?" he asked, trying to sound stuffy.

She giggled. "For that. For telling me this weekend was a good idea, and for not letting me stay grumpy." Leaning back a little, she smiled up at him, and her eyes were very soft. "You really are too good for me, you know."

"Don't forget who made you spit in your wine." Behind them, Jen and Seth were dancing over, a little too quick and a little too close. Renesmee rolled her eyes when Jennifer gave her a little pout. "Do you love me, too?"

"That's a given." Renesmee's voice was cheerful again, her eyes a little mischievous. "But I'm sorry, honey, I won't fuck you."

"Wouldn't expect you to," Jen said loftily, grinning as Seth danced her away again. "You're far too vanilla for that."

Renesmee's jaw dropped as they left, and Jacob couldn't help it. Her face was priceless, and he dissolved into laughter. He buried his face in her shoulder, tearing a little while she took over the leading. "Way to be a girl, Jake," she teased.

A new song started, and it only made Jacob laugh harder. He'd been about to say, "Fuck you," but he couldn't.

"Oh, I _love_ this song!" There it was again, that totally girl face she made. She took them into bouncy little two step and he picked up the lead again, singing a little bass line softly as she sang the lyrics for memory, just above a whisper.

It was like dancing with a different woman. She tossed her hair a little as she danced and spun, and he admired her, watching as her confidence grew while her mood improved. She drank, schmoozed, danced, and got progressively more fun. She and Seth did a salsa together, and Jacob was pretty impressed by his friend's abilities. This prompted a meringue competition, and Renesmee burst into peals of laughter, watching her friend get tossed around by her husband, and he grinned, glad to see her dissolving in Seth's arms, failing to continue her dance. At one point, he asked if she wanted to sit down for a minute, and she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm having fun," she said slowly, giving him an odd look. "Why would I want to sit down?"

Jacob shook his head, smiling. "Just checking," he reassured her. "Husbandly duties, and all that."

She leaned up on her tip toes, pulling him down for a kiss. Her tongue traced his bottom lip, just a bit, and he kissed her back, maybe a little too passionately for public, but he couldn't find it in him to care. She was completely his, and it wouldn't hurt to show it. Still, he pulled her off the floor and back to their table. He couldn't let her dress like this then _not_ screw with her, just a little.

The sequins of her dress were rough against his hand as he rested it on her knee. The table cloth covered anything inappropriate, and he was an old pro by now at keeping his free hand above table and busy. A few times, his wife shifted in her seat when he squeezed a little tighter, and she twitched when he boldly pressed the heal of his hand into her crotch, putting pressure on the area that was radiating a lot of heat at the moment.

He watched as she moved around the room from time to time, just Jen or Seth at her side as she made her way to the bar. People seemed drawn to her. She laughed and chatted with the bartender; a woman in a pair of Manolos she greatly admired; a man with a little White Sox pin on his lapel; a pregnant women who really did look amazing, even he had to admit; and another woman with wild red hair, who agreed that they both looked super hot. Seth had nearly died at this last one, cackling to the bar, dragging her along behind him.

"I promised your mom," he heard Seth say, "I'd keep you away from any wild threesomes. I can't do that when two redheads start talking. It's only a matter of time until you convince Jake it's worth a go, and believe me, _that_ girl," he said, nodding at the redhead, "would totally go for it."

"How do you know?"

"She's a porn star. I'd hate to go back home and tell Bella, 'Yeah, sorry, I can't keep jokingly made promises.' She'd chew me up and spit me out." Seth laughed at Renesmee's shocked face.

"It's not that," Renesmee said. "How do you know she's a porn star?"

"Jesus," Jen said, rolling her eyes in her seat next to Jacob. "Even I knew that."

Renesmee glanced over, giving Jennifer an impressed look, and the older girl winked.

It wasn't too long after watching his wife get hit on twice (once more on the way back) by a porn star that he couldn't handle it anymore. Her hair was getting messier, and she was laughing and a little giddy. She'd plopped onto his lap upon her return, and he was glad - his erection was starting to show. Now, it was hidden by her ass. Not cured, but it was alright in his eyes - an ass on his cock was actually nicer than hiding it under the table. They excused themselves and managed to get out with her in front of him most of the way.

"They're not coming up for an hour," Renesmee whispered as they waited for the elevator. "Jen said she'd give us some privacy."

They rode up in awkward silence with another couple until they could get off on their floor. They barely made it to the door before his hands gained a mind of their own, finding their way to her shoulders and pushing the dress out of the way as the door opened behind her. Her breasts were exposed to the harsh light of the hotel hall, and he immediately swung her inside and up against the door so he could pull one between his lips. Her head fell back against the door with a soft thump and she moaned, wrapping her fingers in his hair and wrapping one leg around his waist, the dress moving up to expose her leg as it went.

"Fuck this," he mumbled, pushing her leg down and shoving her so she was standing against the door, her back flat and her breasts heaving as she gasped for breath. A little roughly, he shoved the dress down the rest of the way over her ass, watching as it pooled around her feet. She gave him a tiny smirk and pushed him a few inches away from her so she could step out. She was down to just the shoes, which he decided quickly had to stay on for a while longer, and a tiny scrap of lace that hid nothing from his prying eyes. He wanted to kneel and worship her, but she had other ideas. Reaching forward, she pulled him against her again, pressing her lips up against his before getting to work on his clothing.

They stumbled toward bed, shedding his tux as they went. First the jacket went, tossed carelessly and he thought he heard something thump to the floor, but he didn't care. One of her hands was working loose his tie, and the other was pulling his shirt out of his pants. He gasped when she snapped the tie and his belt free in one move, laughing a little maniacally as she shoved him up against the door frame. Something cracked, but he didn't care. Buttons flew as she tore off his shirt, throwing it off to the side and quickly unzipping his pants. She shoved them down with his boxers and he managed to kick them off with his socks before being tackled to the bed.

"Nope," he grunted, rolling out from under her with a mighty heave to get her off of him. "On your knees."

She didn't disappoint, spreading her knees on the bed, holding herself up on her hands as she shifted her round ass back toward him. He entered her roughly, with no further foreplay, and her head fell back, landing in the crook of his shoulder as he leaned over her. Eventually, he flipped her onto her back, throwing her legs up over his shoulders, and it wasn't long after that that she gave him a mighty heave, nearly throwing him off the bed. Instead, he wound up with his head hanging off the end of the bed, a little bit upside down while she fucked herself on him. The blood rushing to his head was intense, and she laughed a little at the choked, pleasured sounds he was making.

"That's good for you?" she asked, and when he raised his head to look at her, she was smirking again.

But then she was pushing him back again, further this time, and he almost sobbed when one of her hands tugged his balls while she worked over him.

Almost.

"I'm proud of you," he said later, laying with her in his arms. She was still covered in a light sheen of sweat, and her nipples brushed his chest hair as she leaned up slightly to look at him.

"Why?" She smirked. "Because I can make you scream like a girl?"

He lightly pinched her sides and she squealed a little. "Thanks," he said, rolling his eyes. "I was sure you were going to be moping all night."

She huffed a sigh, flopping down on top of him again. "I'm trying," she replied. "I think I'm going to wait a little more to go back to school, actually."

"Really?" This surprised him. His wife wasn't really much of a homebody, preferring instead to work forty hours a week, like Carlisle. She'd commented more than once about missing work and school over the past few years, and with the new year starting to approach, he'd expected she'd want to go back.

"Maybe one more semester," she mused, her fingers playing with his chest hair. "I might go back in the spring. I already know I can skip one semester, so I might as well do this one."

"But you're bored," he reminded her. "You make it a point to tell me at least once a day."

"Exactly." She rolled away, onto her back, staring at the ceiling as her breasts rose and fell with her breathing. "Esme actually told me to shut up last week. Lovingly and gently, of course, with a smile on her face. Then she made me go out back and plow up dirt for her garden." She made a little face, scrunching her nose. "I'm really self-centered. I need to stop that." She rolled her eyes, the smiled. It was genuine, and it lit her eyes. "I should really focus on my marriage," she purred, sliding a hand up into his hair.

"A little self preservation is a good thing," he reminded her, rolling onto his side so he could see her better. "You just have to remember not to go overboard. And don't beat yourself up. Remember, I love you no matter what."

"You shouldn't have to put up with me being obnoxious, though." She rolled her eyes. "God, what was wrong with me?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

"Nothing that isn't wrong with most women," he laughed. "You know how many high school girls I knew that loved babies and said they want a dozen of them? When they'd wind up with one unexpectedly, they'd say it ruined their lives and they weren't ready and a line of shit that made me want to remind them that condoms are available at every drug store." He shook his head.

"That Anne girl was a bitch," Renesmee remembered. "Huge slut."

"Well, the smart sluts know to wrap it up. Or take the pill." Jacob smiled slightly. "She was fucking dumb."

"I still think it's funny she had to drop out," Renesmee said, her lips curling into a devilish smile. "Those last two months without her were delightful."

"Don't be mean," Jacob teased, pecking her nose. "Be as nice as I know you can be."

They were silent for just a minute...

And that was all it took. The room door opened, and Renesmee glanced toward the door.

"Oh, shit," she whispered.

Jacob stared at her, a little alarmed at the shocked and horrified expression on her face. "What?"

"Holy shit." Seth's words weren't so much an exclamation, as they were a statement of feelings that could only be expressed through expletives. "What the fuck happened?"

Jacob turned his head and immediately located the source of his wife's attention.

There was a beat of silence. Then...

"Well," Jen said, her voice slow and amused, "there won't be any privacy tonight, that's for sure."

The door to the suite's bedroom was completely busted. Somehow, in their passions, they'd managed to completely knock it off its hinges.

"Huh." Renesmee's reaction nearly made him laugh. "I don't remember doing that."

They barely had time to scramble for cover before Jen and Seth burst into the room, looking positively shell shocked.

"What did you do?" Jen's eyes were wide for a moment before they narrowed, focusing. "Oh, my God."

"Did you two fuck the door off?" Seth's voice sounded astounded that such a thing was possible. Jacob wasn't sure what to say. His mouth was open, but no sound came out. "And bust the lamp?" Seth gestured behind him, and Jacob followed the hand's direction to see that yes, in fact, a lamp had been broken in the course of the evening. He could feel his lips trying to speak, but no sound came out.

So instead, Renesmee bit her lip, made her eyes big, and said, "We didn't mean to. Just please don't tell my parents?"

It was completely silent for about ten seconds. In that time, you could have heard a pin drop, and it was anyone's guess toward what Seth's reaction would be.

Then, Seth burst into fits of hysterics. Tears streamed down his face as he cackled with delight, actually screeching. Jennifer was quick to follow, and within a minute, the tiny room was filled with the sound of four voices laughing.

It felt good.

_a/n A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine ended his life at 26. This was followed by another friend getting married, and I have to admit, this has been done for a while, it just took a long time to do the final editing process. This chapter is meant to be the embodiment of the imperfections of marriage, and how that can actually make it stronger. Nothing worth while in life is easy, and marriage, like so many other things, is something that takes time and work to grow. My friend was going through an unhappy period in his marriage, one with a lot of financial and emotional strain, and decided to fix his temporary problem with a permanent solution. I have no doubt in my mind that things would have been resolved, but in his mind, the best solution was to cut himself out of the lives of those he loved the most. We will always love him, but I can't urge you enough to remember that when everything in your life is miserable and dark and you feel like you can't breathe; that, if you give it time, things _will_ get better. Trust me - I have several of the t-shirts. There are people in your life to lean on; the best friends are the ones that hold your hand and let you scream and cry until you get it out of your system, who then help you find the light again. My friend who just got married went with her best friend, who gives her all this and more. Please never give up, and remember that there are five people who love you, that you don't even know about. This first is for Tom - we will always remember you with a guitar in your hands and a smile on your face. We miss you._


	43. Return to La Push

_a/n Hello, my darlings! I'm just kicking this one out-I've been holding on for too long. If you see any grammatical or continuation errors, please let me know. This is set a little over a year after "Private School," and about 26 years post BD. Enjoy!_

**RETURN TO LA PUSH**

To no one's surprise, it was raining when they pulled into the drive of the home that had once been owned and occupied by Billy Black. Seth and Jennifer had headed to the other side of town, to the house Sue had once lived in, and had maintained as a rental. They were close by, and this was comforting to Jacob.

Glancing across at his wife, he noticed that her eyes were starting to droop a little. He reached over to rub her shoulder lightly. The last few days had been hard on Renesmee. The move from Canada was not as bad as it could have been, had they still been on the east coast. As it was, though, the constant traveling, movement, breast feeding, diaper changing, and crying didn't allow much opportunity for sleep. He'd tried to get her to rest the night before, but their son had woken them in the middle of the night, whimpering softly. Jacob had tried to stay awake, but he wasn't the one doing the work, and he lapsed back into slumber fairly quickly. When he'd woken to the alarm at six the next morning, it was to find Renesmee awake, Masen snug against her front in his sling, as she repacked their suitcase to leave. She'd made coffee and packed up the bathroom bag already. All he'd had to do was to roll out of bed, throw on clothes, and check them out at the front desk.

Now, though, for the past three hours, Masen had snoozed away in the back seat, and Renesmee had dozed on and off, waking occasionally to look back at her son, glance out the window to ascertain whether or not there was danger, then return to napping. She'd offered to drive at one point, and he'd had to stifle a laugh to keep quiet, only shaking his head and smiling.

Her eyes blinked slowly as the Highlander pulled to a stop in front of the little red house. She took in a deep breath, and slowly released it. "We're here," she said, her voice very soft.

"Yep." He sighed, staring out into the rain. "Safe and sound." Glancing behind him, Jacob watched as Masen's face scrunched up, just a bit. At four months, he already looked like both of them. He had the soft curly wisps of her hair, but it was darker, the red only showing in deep highlights mixed with the black curls. His skin was darker than hers, as well - only a soft shade lighter than his father's. He had Renesmee's nose and Jacob's mouth, and a little bit of both of them in his ears. His eyes, though, which were blinking open now and focusing on Jacob's dark ones, had never changed from the bright green they'd first been when he'd blinked them open, his little face almost a little shocked, on the day he was born.

"What's up, kid?" Jacob stared back at his son, and chuckled as Masen made a face he recognized. "Yeah, I know, that son of a bitch sucks."

"Jacob." Renesmee's voice was scolding.

"He doesn't understand," Jacob reminded her.

And he didn't. They weren't sure what was going to happen in regards to their son's aging, but already, Carlisle had run tests and found an extra gene already be present in their son. They still hadn't been able to discover which parent it more resembled, but Carlisle seemed very pleased all the same.

"Still." She unbuckled her seat belt, and Jacob reached back, undoing the straps holding the baby into his little seat securely. As his hand passed close to the baby, one of his little hands reached up and grabbed onto his finger. Jacob grinned, maybe a little maniacally, at the feeling.

He had nieces and nephews and friends in the tribe who'd had children. He'd held babies before. The difference between their children and his son was that Masen's grip was more than a little too strong for a four month old. Carlisle had noted immediately that the newborn's muscles had more tone than was normal, and they'd been monitoring it, but it only seemed to grow little by little, paced with the growth of his tiny body. He was a normal baby, just a little sturdier than most.

So here he was, Cheif Jacob Black, one of only two shape shifters remaining in his generation, parked in front of his childhood home, his hand held in place by his infant son, born to his half-vampire wife. It was a little surreal.

Jacob hadn't even noticed that his wife was standing with an umbrella, smiling bemusedly at the pair of them, waiting to remove Masen from his seat until the stalemate ended. Cool autumn air was rushing in, clean from the rain, and more than a little comforting. Finally, the baby seemed to notice his mother, and he turned, grabbing for her, instead. Renesmee laughed, plucking him out of the carrier and slipping him easily into the sling that she'd draped over her front. It had been made by Emily, and was designed to grow with the baby. It kept his wife's hands free, and he'd enjoyed watching her more than once, doing little household chores and babbling away with her son. The first time he'd made love to her after the baby was born, it had been after spending an afternoon watching his wife when he was supposed to be watching baseball. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off her radiant face, her eyes bright as she stared down in wonder.

A slamming startled him, and he blinked, realizing she'd closed the back door and was now opening the trunk. She removed a suitcase, leaving her other hand free to hold an umbrella over herself and Masen. He clambered out of the driver's seat and made his way around to grab the other two suitcases. Everything else had come down ahead of them, having been packed into the back of Embry's pick up truck and hauled down a week before. They already had furniture, and Embry had picked up a crib Renesmee had picked out, putting it together and placing it in Jacob's old room. He'd mentioned that he might have done a few other things, but as a homecoming gift. Secretly, Jacob was glad. He didn't want to be painfully reminded of his father, and realistically, the house was getting a little dated, anyway.

Side by side, they made their way up to the porch, and Jacob could see that Embry had painted. Somebody, probably his wife, had put potted plants on the porch, and it looked warm and inviting.

Jacob unlocked and opened the door, stepping aside so Renesmee could enter first. "Holy shit." Her voice was a little awed. Walking in after her, Jacob could see why.

The rug on the floor was the one that had been there since before Jacob had been born. It had been a gift when his parents had gotten married, and he'd always loved it. He could remember rolling around on the rug, and he wondered vaguely if it still smelled like peppermint and tobacco - like Billy.

The coffee table, though, was new, as was the sectional sofa Jacob never would have imagined could fit in the tiny room. It hugged the walls, though, and looked very comfortable. Jacob's TV, one of the things he'd moved down, was mounted above a new, sleek stand that held his various consoles and devices.

"It always amazes me," Renesmee said slowly, wandering down the hall, which now had a nice, navy blue carpet runner going down the center, "how much Embry loves interior design." She opened the door to the master bedroom and shook her head. "Oh, my God."

The bed, comforter, and tables were all new. The walls, where they were plaster instead of wood, were painted a chocolate brown, and all the dark colors made the room very warm and rustic. Jacob glanced across the hall to what had once been his room. Setting down the suitcases, he reached over to open the door.

The unpaneled walls were robin's egg blue now, and the crib stood in the corner under a mobile that looked to have been made by someone local. A low dresser with the top set up as a changing table was just off to the side, and an antique wooden rocker rested next to it, in the other corner. The rug that had once been in Billy's room, another gifted tribal rug, covered the wooden floor to make it a little safer.

"Yeah," Jacob said slowly, "Embry likes his design projects."

There was a knock on the front door, and Jacob stepped aside so Renesmee could settle into the new nursery for a while. Masen was making little grunts, indicating his hunger, and she smiled apologetically.

"Don't be sorry," he chuckled, reading her face. "It's not your appetite he wound up with."

Renesmee smiled, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. It only took a few seconds to forget their surroundings - they hadn't had a chance to really have any physical contact longer than falling asleep together for days - but another knock and tiny, soft fists beating against his chest brought them back to the present.

Jacob laughed when he opened the front door. It wasn't every day a tall, well built man showed up at your house holding a basket with a bit yellow bow on the front, overflowing with muffins. Still, Jacob was very happy to see the man and the muffins. He reached out, managing to hug Sam around the huge basket.

"It's good to see you, Jacob." Sam's low voice sounded pleased. "How was the trip?"

"Long, for a two day trip. Masen's not a huge fan of long trips just yet." Jacob rubbed his temple a little as he stepped aside, letting Sam into the kitchen, which he really hadn't gotten a very good look at himself yet. "Moving with an infant isn't exactly ideal, but hey, what are you gonna do?"

"Right." Sam put the muffins down on the table. "From Emily," he explained. "She's with the kids."

"How is everyone?"

"Very well. Happy you're back, even if it's just for a while." Sam's smile was one of the most genuine Jacob had ever seen. "You've been missed. Both of you." The older man's dark eyes twinkled. "All three of you, now."

Jacob could hear his wife's soft footsteps, and she appeared, smiling, her arms full of baby as she walked toward them. "Hi, Sam," she said, her voice soft, but excited. She'd missed La Push. When he'd suggested moving back for a while, she'd been the one to make the call to Sam. If anything were to happen, it was best if it happened here. Embry had called six months ago to say that vampires had already been in the area, but they weren't sure who, or why. Still, it had resulted in the phasing of two local teenagers, and Sam and Embry had been trying to help the two boys adjust. Having Jacob and Seth around would help even more, and perhaps the four of them would be enough if trouble arose.

And as for the mystery vampire, Sam had been smug to report he or she had dipped off the radar very quickly once the young wolves began their prowl.

Sam was wrapping his arms around Renesmee and Masen, and he took a step back, stooping a little to get a better look at the baby. He grinned when Masen reached out, batting Sam's nose and making the older man laugh. "He is a tough little guy," Sam said, his voice sounding impressed. "Pretty good looking, too."

"He looks like Edward," Jacob reminded him.

"You, too, though," Renesmee said. "I can already tell he's going to have your smile. And his eyes crinkle like yours do, too," she added, smiling.

"All true." Sam held out his hands. "May I?"

Masen seemed to like Sam at once, contentedly settling into the large arms. "So, I've been sent to invite you two out for a night," Sam said, smiling as he swayed, the action seeming almost absentminded. "We want to have a bonfire tomorrow night. The old crowd, you know, and the new boys. Sue and Charlie are willing to babysit the younger ones, and the rest are old enough to be on their own." He laughed. "Hell, some of them will be _at_ the bonfire."

Jacob's stomach lurched a little when he thought of the two teenaged boys who had found themselves suddenly and unexpectedly in a world that had always been deemed fictional. Sam's youngest son had been the first to phase, and when he'd returned home after a week long disappearance, Sam had recognized the changes in his son. Rachel and Paul's youngest, Will, had been next. The boys had had an easier time of it than their fathers, though. When Will had phased, Jacob and Seth had already been waiting, running longer nights than normal, listening to hear any distant, unfamiliar voices. Hearing his nephew's voice in his head like a shout had been a bit of a shock at first, but he felt warm when the boy calmed, hearing familiar voices explaining to him that all was well, and that he was far from the first person to whom this had happened. The pair of boys ran together now, patrolling the village. They would be joined by Jacob and Seth, and the two older men had already made it a point to plan how best to train up the younger boys to protect and defend, if it came to it.

In the meantime, a baby free night at a bonfire seemed to be just the ticket to getting back to some semblance of normalcy, even if it was only temporary.

Sam stayed long enough for a cup of coffee before heading out, promising them a grand time the next night, and he waved as he backed out of the driveway. Jacob stayed on the front porch for a while, listening to the rain, breathing it in. It was all he could smell, the rain, and it seemed odd after spending so many years living with the Cullens. Half of the family had stayed north, not wanting to arise suspicion or risk being seen, and now, only Edward, Emmett, Bella, and Rosalie occupied the house in the woods. The others would visit, though; and the Forks Cullens kept up constant correspondence with Alice, who was waiting, watching to see if any new decisions would be made and set in stone. So far, any plans on the part of the Volturi were disorganized and jumbled, a whole lot of nothings and fallen through plans that were proving difficult for Alice to sift through. From friends, Jasper and Carlisle had heard rumors of defections by Aro's ranks, and Alice occasionally saw some of the former guard members, away from the rest, in her visions.

In the meantime, the protection La Push could offer was exceptional. They were surrounded by wolves, two with experience combatting vampires. Four strong vampire fighters were minutes away, with more waiting in the wings back north. _Masen_ was safe.

That night, after putting their son to bed in his new crib, Jacob took his wife into the living room, planning to relax and watch TV, until his wife commented that the couch looked like a porn couch, and perhaps it had been purchased by Embry for that reason.

"After all," she said, smirking, her eyes never leaving the screen, "he and Lisa have one, and you know how they can get. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't throw in some rope or a blindfold." She giggled. Telling her about Embry's sexual preferences had been a mistake, one he could never take back.

So instead of commenting, he'd pushed her until she was lying on her back, and realizing that yes, indeed, his friend had given him the gift of some pretty amazing furniture.

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Sue and Charlie must have gushed for twenty minutes over the baby. They'd seen him before, but not since his birth, and for Charlie, seeing his great grandson seemed to be what his life had been building up to. He'd mussed the tiny boy's soft curls, so like his mother's, and therefore like Charlie's, seeming fascinated by the amount of hair Masen already had on his tiny head.

After forty five minutes, when they were running thoroughly late, they climbed back into the car, and Renesmee let out a huff. "Good Lord," she muttered, buckling up as a matter of routine. "I've never seen Charlie act like..."

"A grandpa?" Jacob smiled, pulling out of the drive and onto the street. He rolled down the windows, letting in the crisp autumn air. "You weren't the type to respond to baby talk, kid. In fact, I remember you actually rolling your eyes at it."

Renesmee's laughter was bubbly and it filled the interior of the car. "He's so cute," she sighed, gazing out the window. "And I love him. But it'll be nice to have a few hours without having to change a diaper."

"Absolutely." They were out of town now, heading back to La Push. Back toward home.

The bonfire was roaring by the time they arrived on First Beach, and they received a few raised eyebrows before Renesmee returned the stares with a cocked brow of her own. "Charlie was very occupied making cooing noises, and I didn't want to be rude." She glanced around the group before her eyes settled on Paul, a smirk curling her lips. "You'll forgive my manners, I'm sure."

"They did the same thing when we dropped off Rayen." Off to the side, Jen was sitting with Seth, her arms wrapped around her knees as she leaned against her lover. Over a decade after coming together, Jennifer and Seth still stoically refused to marry. It was a running joke at this point, a refusal to bend to the societal pressure of getting names on a piece of paper that said they were bound, when neither felt the need for paper to bind them together like glue. Still, Jen had made sure their daughter's birth certificate said Clearwater and listed Seth as the father. "Sue's a happy grandma, for sure."

Jacob chuckled low in his chest, and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his nephew staring over at them. "Hey, Will."

Will jumped a little. "Hello, Uncle Jacob." His voice was soft, but Jacob could hear how low it had dropped since the last time they'd talked on the phone. His dark eyes blinked slowly before shifting to Renesmee. His eyes were a little wide, and Jacob chuckled again. Will certainly knew a great deal more about his aunt now than he had before. "Hello, Aunt Renesmee. You look nice," he added, seeming a little wary.

Renesmee's eyes softened in a way she had long seemed to reserve for her nieces and nephews, before giving the same look to their son. "Hi, Will." She crossed to stand in front of him, arms crossed, and tilted up her head. "You're tall."

"I'm almost six foot one," he said, his voice a little proud.

"Impressive." Her smile was bright, and Jacob could see Will starting to act a little more like himself. "Maybe you'll be taller than your old man," she added, smirking again in Paul's direction. Will blushed a little when she reached up to tousle his hair. "Now, where is Isaac?" She glanced around, her eyes falling on the young man seated at Sam's side.

Isaac Uley was impossible to miss - he was very nearly the mirror image of his father. He lacked the gray wisps in his hair and the lines under his eyes, and looked like the Sam Jacob had known when he was a younger man. Except for his eyes, which were soft brown and shaped exactly like his mother's. They lent him a kindness to his appearance that Sam had lacked in his younger years. Now, he raised one big hand in a loose wave, announcing his presence.

"Wow." Renesmee sat down next to Jacob. "Look at you." She grinned. "Turning into a man. Last time I saw you, you were two."

"It's nice to meet you again." Isaac nodded across to them, smiling. "My parents have told me a lot about you. Jacob and Seth, too," he added, still smiling.

"Don't believe everything you hear," she teased.

"Believe every word of it," Paul mumbled. Clearly, he was still not over the time she broke his nose.

"You big baby." Jacob watched his wife's chocolate eyes roll, watched as she tossed her long curls over her shoulder. "You healed up fast enough, and you had it coming."

"You kind of did." Will grinned. "You're just mad you got bested by a girl."

"She had an unfair advantage." Paul's frown was sour, and Rachel laughed delightedly.

"She was high as a kite and drunk as shit," Seth reminded him. "You could have taken her if you'd wanted."

Paul scoffed. "Yeah, you want to fight a drunk vampire hybrid, be my guest. I'll be sure to show at your funeral."

In a lot of ways, it was like the old days. They sat around the fire, laughing, eating, and catching up. Quil and Claire were there. It had been years since Jacob had seen the girl who was really older than his wife, and she had positively blossomed. If Emily's features had still been perfect, he wasn't sure she'd be able to tell much difference between the two. Claire was lovely with her long, dark hair cascading down her back, and her warm eyes seldom left her husband's face for too long. She was a little sassy, too, bantering with Quil like an old friend, which Jacob reminded herself they were. But now, Quil continuously peppered her face in kisses, and his face, which had remained unchanged for most of her life, was only just starting to show any sign that he might be aging. There were wrinkles in the corners of his eyes that hadn't been there the last time Jacob had seen him, but the last time they'd seen him, Quil had still been phasing. Now, he aged with his wife. Jacob listened as Clarie and Renesmee swapped college stories. To Jacob, it sounded like Quil had had his hands fuller than he'd ever let on, but Jacob knew his friend would never complain. Even with everything he'd been through with his own wife, Jacob would never take anything back or change a thing.

Leah was there, and Jacob watched as she pelted her brother with questions about her niece. Baby Rayen was barely older than Masen, but already, there were a few small differences between the two. While they grew around the same rate, Rayen had long since moved past breast milk and rapidly became bored with formula, as opposed to Masen, who Renesmee was starting to think would be on breast milk until he could walk. Seth and Jen were already feeding her puréed food on occasion, which she seemed to enjoy more. Other than that, though, the differences between Rayen and Masen were few. Both strongly resembled their half-vampire mothers, but both had skin colorings closer to their fathers, and Masen's hair was much darker than his mother's. Neither grew at the rates their mothers had, but both possessed that extra gene that made them all more than a little curious and frightened of what their futures would hold.

They spent most of the night teasing each other and laughing, Jacob and Seth crowing over the fact that they could now out-eat Sam and Paul. The latter two still ate more than most men, but it was nothing compared to the damage Jacob and Seth inflicted on the huge package of hot dogs. Even Will and Isaac looked impressed.

"I didn't know you could eat like that, Uncle Jacob." Will's eyes were still a little wide with eye as he watched Jacob polish off yet _another_ in a long line of defeated hot dogs. He felt a little proud, he had to admit, to see his nephew looking up to him like this.

"Gotta have my energy, kid," he said, grinning. "I have to do battle with a clinically insane blonde vampire in the near future." He laughed when Renesmee hissed at him, her lips curling back over her teeth. Will jumped a little before Renesmee slapped her hands over her mouth, rolling her eyes upward and shaking her head.

After a few seconds of silence, Renesmee lowered her hands, taking a deep breath and sighing heavily before turning her head heavily toward him.

"Just promise not to break anything," she begged, and Jacob burst out laughing. "I mean it! You two are worse than mom and Uncle Emmett with your pranks. And I'm sorry, but that last thing," she said, reaching up a hand to shoot him a brief image of his last joke on Rosalie, "was too much. You deserved her wrecking your car."

"She wrecked your car?" Isaac sounded honestly shocked that someone would do such a thing.

"What did you do?" Will sounded like he wanted to know how to stay off Rosalie's bad side.

"I may or may not have replaced the entire contents of her underwear drawer with granny panties." Silence followed this declaration. "I may _not_ have," he repeated. "Depends on who you talked to."

"My _father_," Renesmee said, rolling her eyes, "insisted that you had nothing to do with it."

"That's because he's an honest guy." Jacob grinned.

"Jasper said you're both full of shit."

"Jasper's lying. He's from Texas." He said this as a matter of fact, and Jen giggled.

"And they lie in Texas?"

"No," Jacob said, shrugging. "But he _was_ a legitimate Rebel."

Another small hiss slid from his wife's lips, but she didn't stop or apologize, and Will and Isaac were looking on curiously. Jacob wondered vaguely what Sam and Paul had told the boys about the Cullens, and Renesmee. They didn't seem afraid of Renesmee, or disgusted by her, despite her being half vampire.

"Sorry," Jacob said, raising his hands. "I promise never to stuff your aunt's drawers with granny panties ever again."

"And they were fucking cheap," Renesmee burst out, and Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Distasteful, Jacob," Emily said, but her voice held a distinct tone of amusement. "Rosalie was well within her rights to wreck your car."

"Ew." Rachel scrunched her nose. "Were they the crappy polyester kind?"

"Yes." Renesmee glared. "And they were _huge_."

Seth snorted, and Jacob took his wife's hand, kissing her fingers. "Love you."

"You're lucky I love you, too." Her voice was still annoyed, but she winked at him.

There was an easy silence that settled after that, the only sounds that of the waves rushing in and out gently. Jacob gazed at his wife, her head thrown back, relaxed and staring lazily up at the stars. She closed her eyes and breathed in, inhaling a deep drag of the scent of the beach as if it were the most exquisite drug. He could feel his lips curling, and there was no helping it. She was magnificent. The soft breeze ruffled her curls and her face was golden in the light from the bonfire.

Perfection. He'd stumbled upon perfection in the last place he would have thought to look. And now she was here, looking more relaxed than she had in months, at home, here.

At home.

They were loading up later when Will caught his elbow. "You really look at her like she's the only person in the world sometimes," he said, and his voice was a little awed. "It's just like mom and dad."

"Sometimes," Jacob said, watching his wife hug Emily goodbye, "I feel like she is."

"I'm glad I get to see you more now," Will said, his smile genuine. He had Rachel's smile. "I kind of missed you. You know, even though I almost never see you."

Jacob laughed. "I kind of missed you, too." He clapped the boy's shoulder. "We're going to have a lot to talk about the next couple weeks," he said.

"Yeah." Will's eyes glinted. "The Bad Ones."

Jacob blinked. "Come again?"

"That's what Dad and Sam call them." Will stared out into the darkness of the woods. "The Cullen family don't hurt any of us, and they've helped us before. They're nothing to worry about. But something is going wrong with that whole world." Will frowned, his face looking too old for a fourteen year old boy. "It's not the Cullens' fault, but maybe they can fix it, you know?" Will looked hopefully at Jacob. "Do you think?"

"I know they have a lot of friends who think very highly of them," Jacob said quietly. Renesmee's eyes darted briefly to him, then back to Rachel, as she smiled warmly at her sister-in-law, bidding her goodbye. Jacob knew he wouldn't need to repeat this conversation later. "Your aunt has quite a lot of people who would stand in front of her if need be to protect her, and really, they're not bad people." Jacob grimaced. "Other than their... dietary habits." Will shuddered, and Jacob laughed. "Good to see a normal, human response."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jacob, I just think it's kind of gross." He shrugged a little helplessly. "I don't want Aunt Renesmee to think I think less of her, though."

"Easy, kid." Jacob patted his nephew's shoulder. "Your aunt loves you. I don't think she's ever been mad at you a day in your life, and I doubt she ever will."

"Okay." Will smiled before exchanging a hug, then darting off to join his parents.

Sue and Charlie had offered to bring the kids home, and shortly after pulling into their driveway, Sue's mini van pulled in behind their SUV.

"He's been sleeping for about an hour," Sue whispered. "The kids are all passed out. They played a wicked game of twister, then ran around outside for another hour and a half. He's such a little doll," she gushed, smiling. "If you ever need a sitter..."

"I'll add you to the rotation, Sue," Renesmee said, smiling. "Rosalie may not forgive me if I take him away entirely."

"Of course." Sue smiled. "I'd be honored. And you'll tell her hello, of course, and thanks for coming down to stay?"

Jacob thought his wife's eyes teared a little. "Of course. Thanks, Sue. Love you."

He followed as his wife crept carefully toward what was now the nursery, their tiny son bundled in her arms. She managed to get him all the way into the crib without waking him, and once she'd backed into the hall, she stood, staring, her hands on her hips and her wild head of hair shaking back and forth incredulously.

"It's completely different." Her voice didn't elevate in volume, as it may have once, years ago. Instead, it was low and a little stunned. "I know they've been a lot more tolerant of us the past few years, but this?" Renesmee's eyes were unblinking as she stared up into his face. "Did you know about this?"

"I knew sentiments were changing." Jacob shrugged, more than a little helpless. "I'm as blindsighted by this as you."

"'The Bad Ones?'" One of her eyebrows cocked. "'Nothing to worry about?'" She crossed her arms, but more as if she were chilled than angry. She seemed slightly unsettled. "This was the offspring of _Paul_ speaking," Renesmee reminded him.

"But Rachel, too," he reminded her. "She's my sister, and your sister-in-law. And you know she adores you." He held up a hand to silence her when she opened her mouth to argue. "No, you know it's true." Renesmee sighed, but smiled slightly. "And as for Sam, Emily's there, too. The girls have always been a little more understanding. And I think getting to know Rosalie helped a little, too." He rolled his eyes at this, as he always did. He had to admit, however, that as much as he had once hated the blonde vampire, her undeservedly sordid past had somehow humanized her to the women of the tribe. It had made life oddly easier since then. "You know more now than you did when you were a kid. Do you really not see how different your family are?" The words were familiar to him, but the phrases they made up were foreign to his lips.

"Yes." It was amusing that her voice sounded as if she were trying to keep from sounding smug. "I know they're different. Obviously, or I wouldn't be here." She did let slip a wry smile.

"This is a good thing." He slid his arms around her waist, tugging her against his chest. Her arms loosened and slid up his chest to wrap round his neck. "If anything happens with the Volturi now - if they try to threaten you, or the baby, or anyone in the family - they'll have another thing coming. Tanya already said she'd come down to help, and you know there are others who would show up, too. And we're your added muscle," he tacked on, grinning.

"And you scare them." Against his chest, he could feel her smile. "I like that. My husband, the monster."

"Glad you think that's attractive."

They stood in the hall for a while after that, silent, clinging to each other and listening to the soft breathing coming from inside the room just behind Renesmee. She kept glancing down the hall, toward the door, and Jacob sighed softly.

"Seth's running with Isaac tonight," he reassured her. "He'll run with Will tomorrow, then we'll switch."

"So you'll be gone two nights?" Renesmee frowned.

"If you're worried, you can always stay with your family. I'm sure Rose wouldn't mind you being around for a couple of days." He reached over to stroke her cheek reassuringly. "We've done this before, honey. It's what we _do_." When her frown became a little petulant, he gently reminded her, "Don't forget, Jen's on her own for two nights, too. At least, until we can get something down where Seth and I can both take a few nights off and the boys can run."

"Or if you wind up with more." Renesmee's frown deepened. "What if more phase?"

"Then we'll have more defensive power." Jacob reached for his wife's hand, tugging her around to sit on his knee. "Nobody's going to be mad at you. It'll be a hiccup for a few people, but they'll be on your side. Everybody else is. Hell, even when Leah visited last year, she and Rosalie and Esme were all buddy-buddy." _That_ had been interesting. "Baby, this is what we are engineered to do. And Seth and I have done it before, in more difficult circumstances." He scoffed, and she smiled a little. "For the first time in who knows how long, vampires are not listening to the Volturi as much as they're listening to Carlisle and Tanya and your father. There won't be a fight. A fight would be pointless, and merciless."

"Wow." Renesmee finally pulled up the down-turned corners of her mouth. "Nice speech."

"It's true." And it was. The Volturi were still powerful, but something unseen was happening to unravel them from within. Alice couldn't make heads or tales of Aro's rash decisions, but saw the long run - his eventual failure. There were blank spots in her visions - Renesmee, Jacob, and now Masen - and no indication of any losses on the part of the Cullens. Jacob was sure that was all that kept his wife sane some days. Since giving birth, she seemed to have taken the weight of the family's worries onto her young shoulders. Although he was weakened, more politically than physically, Aro was still dangerous. His focus had shifted from Renesmee, to Masen and Rayen. "Come on." He tugged gently at her hand. "Let's go to bed. You actually look like you need sleep."

"Yeah." She sighed softly, and followed.

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The next morning was cloudy again, and Renesmee padded softly around the kitchen, starting up breakfast for Jacob. Masen was sleeping in his bassinet in the living room, and she smiled, glad her son had not picked up her insane sleep schedule, or lack thereof. She'd been up since three, which was far from unusual, doing crosswords and reading while her husband and son slept. Granted, she'd also spent about forty five minutes staring at Masen's tiny face and smiling at how he slept. Somehow, at four months old, he already slept like his father, his breathing rather heavy and his little mouth hanging open, just like Jacob's. He even slept sometimes with one hand up by his head, almost holding his little ear, which was the position Jacob had been in when she'd woken. Now, Jacob's snores were still going strong, but she knew he'd need to wake up soon. There was a lot to be done today.

Though they'd only just returned to La Push, Renesmee was already feeling secure. It wasn't like any other move they'd made. Instead of going to a new home, they'd returned to what had essentially already been home. Nobody in the town seemed to question the return of two of their sons, and nobody questioned the fact that they looked the same now as they had when they'd left. They _seemed_ older, though, and perhaps that was the difference. In any case, there were no questions asked, and Renesmee wondered if, for the first time in hundreds of years, the townsfolk were in on the secret. The situation was different than it had been, with much more risk than before, and she was vaguely curious as she whisked eggs and milk with some garlic and pepper.

She heard movement outside, but the sound was familiar. She smiled out the kitchen window at Seth, who was ambling through the lawn, waving, wearing nothing but a pair of cutoff shorts. She jerked her head toward the door, indicating that he should enter, and his grin widened. He could probably smell coffee and bacon, and she rolled her eyes, turning back to the fridge to take out more bacon to add to the skillet, and more eggs to be scrambled.

Seth softly opened the door, closing it equally gently, and if she hadn't known him all her life, it would have seemed odd for such a beast of a man to move so quietly. He peered into the living room with his entrance, grinning at his sleeping nephew.

"You know he sleeps just like Jake?"

Renesmee smiled over at her son's sleeping visage. "Cutest fucking thing I've ever seen. Coffee?" Renesmee was already pulling a mug from the cabinet.

"Sounds great." Seth's voice was soft, and she smiled again when she was reminded of her uncle's gentle presence.

"Breakfast will be ready soon." She added more garlic and pepper to the eggs, dumping in more milk as well. "I'm assuming you're hungry?"

"Been running all night." Seth rubbed his stomach. "I'm starved."

"Nothing came up?"

"Not a scent, old or new. Nobody's been through we don't know."

"Good." Pulling another huge pan out, Renesmee plopped in a chunk of butter and left it to melt as the pan heated. Her ears picked up on a stutter in Jacob's snoring, followed by a snort. He was close to waking up, and this meant Masen would be up soon, too. She started a pan of water on the stove to boil so she could heat a bottle for him. "The boys are doing good?" she asked, referring to Will and Isaac.

"I'm pretty impressed with them, actually," Seth mused. "They're moving well, and they coordinate like we did."

"Must be those mad Quileute genes." Renesmee took off the finished bacon and put on more, then dumped the eggs into the pan.

"You so remind me of Emily right now," Seth said, smiling slightly. "She used to do this for us all the time."

"Except she had to feed an army," Renesmee shot back. "I just have you two."

"True."

Jacob let out one final snort, and Renesmee heard him huff out a breath then groan. The bed shifted, and she heard his feet padding down the hall. In the living room, Masen huffed, too, but before Renesmee could make it over, Jacob was there, rubbing his eyes and peering down at his son.

"What's up, buddy?" Jacob nodded when Masen grunted. "I see. That's very important." His huge hands cradled the tiny boy easily when he lifted him out of the bassinet. "I know," he said, his voice crooning and higher than it normally was. "Let's see what mom's got goin' on, shall we?" Renesmee smiled, rolling her eyes slightly when he came up behind her, kissing her neck and inhaling deeply. "I really do love you, and not just for making a huge breakfast."

"You love me for coffee, too." She turned off the water, which was boiling, and dropped in a bottle. She turned, nosing her son's face. He cooed at her, grabbing onto her nose. She giggled and he let go, reaching up to bat Jacob's face.

"Easy, kid," Jacob said, holding Masen securely to his shoulder as he made his way to the table. "Breakfast is coming."

"It's really not fair your arms are so long," Renesmee mused, spooning eggs onto two plates and adding bacon and toast. She put one plate in front of Seth and the other in front of Jacob next to the freshly heated bottle. "I can't eat and feed him at the same time."

Jacob chuckled, maneuvering the baby so that the bottle was in range for him with one arm, and using his free hand to eat.

"Yeah, Rayen just doesn't hold that still." Seth sounded a little jealous.

"Food is very important to my son," Jacob said seriously, his eyes twinkling. "It's important to me, too. Had to learn to do both." Masen seemed to agree, staring up at Jacob with wide eyes. "Yes, it is. So very important, huh?" Jacob leaned down, gently butting foreheads with his son, laughing when Masen reached up a hand to pull his father's long hair. "Come on, kid, cut me a break." He leaned back up, turning to Seth. "So, how did it go?"

They were all business after that, and Renesmee munched on a few pieces of bacon while they talked. She set about cleaning up, refilling their coffee. It was a relatively quiet morning after that. Seth headed home after breakfast and shop talk, from which Renesmee surmised that nothing had happened. When he left, Masen fell back asleep, and Jacob carefully maneuvered himself out of the kitchen and into the living room. Rather than put the baby back in the bassinet, Jacob situated himself on the couch, baby on his chest, looking like he could go for a nap himself.

It was the kind of quiet in the house Renesmee wasn't used to. There were the sounds of heartbeats and breathing, of course, but that was about it. And surprisingly, she wasn't as bothered as she might have been otherwise. She puttered around the house all morning, straightening a few things and finishing a bit of unpacking, but by two o'clock, Jacob and the baby were napping and she found herself on the front porch, watching the rain. The soft sound, constant, was almost as soothing as the sound of a steady heartbeat. She sipped at a cup of tea, sighing softly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been bored. It felt nice.

Her ears picked up the sound of a car approaching, and a minute later, Seth's car was pulling up. Renesmee frowned a little. Seth's face looked hard, and Jen, sitting at his side, was staring ahead, her expression vacant. Something was wrong. She wondered briefly if she should wake her husband, then decided to wait. If Seth needed Jacob, he could wake him himself. Seth killed the engine, and they both climbed out. Renesmee felt panic bubble up, and the thought burst from her, unstoppable.

_Something's wrong._

Seth's face softened a little, and she realized the thought had escaped into his mind. She smiled sheepishly. This part of her gift was one only recently developed, and sometimes, it had a mind of its own. "Sorry." She shrugged. "You look like you're on a mission."

"I am." Seth and Jen stepped onto the porch, and Renesmee realized that Rayen was absent. "We had a rather bizarre visit this morning."

"Felix found my sisters." Jennifer's voice sounded a little freaked out, and Renesmee reached out, taking her friend's hand. "They told him I was here."

Renesmee's stomach dropped. _Felix_. Felix, the huge hulking vampire who sided with the Volturi. Felix, bloodthirsty and terrifying as a nightmare.

"Don't panic." Seth's voice was actually calming. "It wasn't a bad visit. Where's Jake?"

"Sleeping." Renesmee started to stand, but Seth waved her back down.

"I'll tell him later. You ought to her it first, anyway." Seth sat down at her side, sighing heavily. "It's nothing terrible or dangerous. At least, it doesn't seem to be. Just weird."

"You're killing me," Renesmee pleaded. "What happened?"

"Do you remember Chelsea?"

"Aro's guard?" Renesmee frowned. "Yes."

"She's gone." Seth shrugged. "Just up and left. Nobody's sure how or why, or where she went, but she and her mate just disappeared. Left the tower and never came back. This was a while ago." Renesmee inhaled, feeling a little dizzy. If Chelsea was gone... "Things have been rough since then. No Chelsea, no little voice telling you to stay. Aro's been sweet talking the rest of the guard, but Felix and Dimitri got the idea to bail before things got any worse. They split up, and Dimitri's trying to disappear, but Felix came here. He felt like someone needed to give a heads up that things are going to hell, and that the Cullens might be some kind of target for Aro to show the power they still have. Felix said he still has contact with some people in the know and he'd let us know about any changes." Seth made an odd face. "Gave me his cell number. It was weird - he was totally cool about it, like he's on our side now. Said he came here a while back to see if we were in the area. That's probably what made Isaac and Will phase in the first place."

"So, Felix is on our side?" Renesmee frowned. "It seems too easy."

"I sent him to Canada," Seth informed her. "Told him he needed to talk to Jasper and Carlisle. Carlisle's the one calling shots anyway, and Jasper would know if he's full of shit and take him out."

"When will that be?"

"He's already up there. Ran as fast as he could. Carlisle called half an hour ago and said they had a visitor, and that he really seems to be done with the Volturi. They want to go to Alaska to talk to Tanya next, but they think we should all go."

"Coming here was bold," Jen said. "But he said he couldn't find out where the family was, so he somehow got hold of my sisters. I told them we were moving into La Push, and so he came here. He didn't even know you were here. He came to talk to Seth, to see if there was any chance of finding you or your family."

Renesmee stared out into the never ending rain. "So, what does it mean?"

"That's why they want to go to Alaska." Seth's face was odd - a mix of disbelief and awe. "Felix told Carlisle whatever decision we make, we need to make it as a unit. Felix knows as much about the Volturi as Eleazar, and he thinks we can make a more informed decision if we all discuss it together."

Not speaking, Renesmee rose and returned inside. Numb, she made her way to the bedroom. She watched, almost disconnected, as her hands reached out to shake her husband awake. She heard words coming out of her mouth, but she didn't really hear them. Whatever she said was enough to rouse him, and he moved to dress while she floated back to the kitchen. Opening the freezer, she removed a handle of vodka and returned to the porch, opening it, and downing several slugs of the harsh liquor. Not speaking, she held it out to Seth, who chuckled.

"Yeah, I could use a drink after this morning." He brought the bottle to his lips and was handing it to Jennifer when Jacob made his appearance.

Three hours later, Seth and Jen were making their way home, and Rensemee sat on the porch next to her husband, eyes unfocused, while Jacob placed a call to Edward. Her father was standing in front of them in an impressive five minutes, and she blinked, finally managing a smile.

"You ran full out, didn't you?"

Edward scrunched his nose. "You drank like a sailor, didn't you?"

"Smirnoff comes out to play when the world comes crashing down," she replied. "I don't expect you to understand this, since you can't understand the benefits of being drunk under siege." She figured that under normal circumstances, he would have rolled his eyes at this. But his eyes were set in the way they were only when he was listening to every thought rolling through someone's head, and they were widening as she and Jacob thought back on their afternoon. After a few minutes, he sat down cross legged on the porch, in shock. "See? Smirnoff." She took another swig and shrugged, smiling lopsidedly. "Sorry." Then she frowned. She _was_ sorry - the Smirnoff was almost gone. She'd done more damage than she'd realized. Fortunately, there was enough breast milk in the fridge to feed an army of babies, giving her plenty of time to flush her system.

"Jesus." Her father's voice was very faint, and she raised her eyebrows, surprised even in her current state. She could count on one hand the number of times in her life she'd heard a swear slip his lips. "He just left?"

"Language, Eddie," she slurred, waggling her finger. Now, his eyes rolled. "Take it away, baby," she said, nudging her husband. "You are the sober one here."

She listened as Jacob detailed the conversation with Seth. Hearing the words out loud seemed to solidify things for her father, and his eyes began to refocus as he got back to his feet. He paced the porch for a moment, frowning, before his eyes darted to the road. He suddenly dropped back down as a car passed, staying down for a minute before he rose, scowling.

"Mike Newton," he grumbled. "Of all the people to stay in Forks. He was just thinking your wife is hot, Jacob. He was reminding himself he's no longer single."

Renesmee laughed when Jacob just shrugged, grinning, saying, "Well, yeah." Then he frowned. "What was Mike Newton doing here?"

Edward cleared his throat unnecessarily, stalling. "Nothing. I'll tell you later."

"What?" Renesmee peered at him. "Why's it a big deal?"

"He was at the beach," Edward said, and Jacob scowled.

"Liar. It's pouring and freezing. What was he doing?"

Edward sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "Don't mention it to Seth, but he's apparently dating Leah."

There was silence on the porch for a minute, before Jacob picked up the bottle and drained what was left.

"Yeah," he said, wincing. "I won't say a word."

"I don't understand." Renesmee frowned, trying to focus through the fuzziness of her thoughts. "Why is that so bad? I mean, I barely know the guy, but he seems nice."

Jacob sighed, standing up. "I hope there's more vodka. You may want to call Bella, Edward. We're going to need a babysitter."

_a/n Thank you so much for your patience - I'm having to sing for my salt this year, and it's kicking my butt fairly intensely. On the upside, I now have a clarinet part for "Skyfall" and my brain feels like it wants to explode MIKA everywhere. My profound apologies. Please accept this, my _Mona Lisa_, as my gift to you. It took a long time, and lots of tiny brush strokes and touch ups to complete. And it went on for 20 fucking pages. Thank you so much for your messages and reviews! I read them all with quite the smile on my face, because I know something you don't know... And I love that. It turns me on. I sound like an asshole, but it's true._

_Keep the suggestions coming! I'm seeing lots of things from you guys that put ideas in my head, and while at this point there's an actual plot (oh, so not what I intended when I started this voyage, but still quite enjoyable), there's a lot of blanks to fill in and I can only do that if there's a first involved. Case in point, I'm pretty sure this first was suggested. I can't remember who, as my brain is mush. So help a girl out! Review!_


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